Youth empowerment under NDC a mirage – Awuku

The National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Samuel Awuku, has lashed out at the youth policies of the John Dramani Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC), saying the potential beneficiaries have been left “in a rather sorry state”.

In a statement to mark this year’s International Youth Day on Wednesday, August 12, Sammy Awuku said the NDC will for the first time in the history of the country be bequeathing to Ghanaians the Unemployed Graduates Association of Ghana (UGAG).

“If our highly skilled graduates cannot find jobs to do, then what becomes of the 'less educated' in our society,” he opined.

But in an interview with Uniiq FM on Wednesday to mark the Day, President Mahama reiterated several policies being put in place by his government to engage the youth with jobs.

He said the Youth Enterprise Support (YES) initiative as well as the newly promulgated Youth Employment Agency (YEA) will empower the youth in several areas.

But Mr Awuku insisted that the NDC has failed in its endeavour to empower the youth and those who are rushing to the private sector are not making any headway either as a result of the power crisis.

“Whiles the NDC government has woefully failed in this venture, it is unfortunate to state that, the complimentary role played by the private sector has also been gravely affected by the longest haul of ‘dumsor’ ever to be witnessed in the history of Ghana. Consequently, businesses have over the past few years been hit with rather high cost of production with the resultant effect of unprecedented job cuts.”

The NPP Youth Organiser said the power situation has affected studies of most school children to the extent that results of the West Africa Senior Schools Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will have over 700,000 students not qualified to enter any tertiary institution.

Sammy Awuku, therefore, called on the youth “to take their destiny into their own hands by becoming Agents of Change from the current status quo which militates against their personal and self advancement.”