Better Ghana Agenda would be a mirage without youth development

Koforidua, July 27, GNA - The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo has observed that, the Government's better Ghana agenda would be a mirage if the government fails to develop the youth to their fullest potential.

He said it was in that light, that government has made quality education not only accessible but also affordable by supplying free school uniforms and exercise books for basic schools.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said with the implementation of the initiative and other interventions, every child of school going age was expected to enrol in school to enjoy the abundant resources that the government had made available.

He was speaking at the launch of the National Service Week Celebration at Koforidua under the theme, 93National Service in the drive towards better Ghana".

He said it was imperative for the scheme management to find a platform to interact with personnel at the end of their service period to ascertain whether the outlined objectives had been achieved or realized, so that where there were gaps, strategies would be put in place to ensure that the right environment was provided in the future.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo reminded the directors of the scheme that, the purpose of the scheme was to groom students and prepare them adequately for the complex world in which they found themselves.

"We should have the responsibility to receive them whole heartedly and give them the needed assistance so that they will not be frustrated and discouraged during this learning period," the Minister said.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo appealed to scheme managers to integrate their programmes with HIV and AIDS programmes, so that they could reduce the prevalent rate to its barest minimum and save the country's labour force.

He advised up-coming national service personnel to accept any placement given them in rural areas, to also help the rural folks develop.

Mr Vincent Senem Kuagbenu, Executive Director of the National Service Scheme, said the scheme had not only succeeded in placement, supporting and management of personnel throughout the country, but also undertook a number of projects that has received commendation from Ghanaians across the length and breadth of the country.

He said the projects had lifted the image of the scheme to greater heights and has emboldened them to believe that, the National Service Scheme was in the drive for the better Ghana agenda.

He expressed his profound gratitude to the gallant young men and women for their sense of patriotism, commitment and hard work.

Mr Osei Gabriel Jnr, President of the National Service Personnel Association (NASPA), commended government and management of the National Service Scheme for giving young graduates platform to develop themselves through the scheme for national development.

He appealed to the management of the scheme to increase the number of volunteers, to facilitate the teaching and learning in many communities where their services were most needed.

He also called on government to assist service personnel who had to move to the rural areas with accommodations.