'Fight for a peaceful Africa - Mustapha Ussif addresses youth

The Minister for Youth and Sports, Mr. Mustapha Ussif has stated that his outfit has developed a National Youth Policy aimed at harnessing potentials of the youth through capacity skills training, so as to enable them contribute meaningfully towards promoting development in Ghana and beyond. Addressing the youth at an Africa Youth Congress held in Accra, he emphasized that investing in education, health, entrepreneurial skills, and empowerment are meaningful and viable means for African countries to realize the potentials of the youth. In a keynote address, Mr. Mustapha Ussif asserted; “Our youth represent a diverse range of realities, skills sets, and talents, and it is in this diversity that solutions to the continent’s problems can be found. Similarly, the goal of the National Youth Volunteers Programme instituted by the Government of Ghana is to develop active citizens, foster national cohesion, and provide opportunities for young people to develop their skills.” The General Secretary of All Africa Conference of Churches, Rev. Dr. Fidon Mwombeki also called on young people of Africa to join forces to reach the aspirations of Agenda 2063 for prosperous, integrated, peaceful Africa , leading to the Africa we want. “You must commit to work and fight for a peaceful Africa anchored on reliable, sustainable democratic leadership. You must reject the unconstitutional transfer of power, through your active citizenship, vying for political positions in your own countries to change the course of history. You must shun and fight unhealthy, disgusting indifference towards corruption and bad governance. You need to confront the evils of ethnic rivalries which are at the core of many of our conflicts, by building Pan Africanism and snubbing populist nationalism”, he stressed Earlier in a welcome address, the Presiding Bishop of Methodist Church of Ghana and immediate past Chairman of Christian Council of Ghana, Most Rev. Dr. Paul Boafo urged the youth of Africa to see themselves as agents of change capable of positioning themselves for the future challenges that will confront the world. He also entreated the youth to uphold soio-moral values of integrity, selflessness and discipline as vital ingredients, adding that strengthening their commitment to the faith by developing relationship with God will facilitate their success in life. The All-Africa Youth Congress More than One Thousand youth representing Forty-Four Anglophone and Francophone African countries are meeting in Accra to brainstorm on means of inspiring the youth to realize their potentials and opportunities required to reposition the continent for its sustainable growth and development. The five-day congress been held on the theme, “Africa: My Home, My Future” is under the facilitation of All African Conference of Churches (AACC) with its continental secretariat in Nairobi, Kenya and the Christian Council of Ghana. It also attracts participation of stakeholder organization worldwide including faith ecumenical bodies such as World Communion of Reformed Churches, Africa Union, Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) among others. The official opening of the congress also coincides with the Africa Youth Day instituted in 2006 for celebration on 1st November each year by an African Youth Charter under the auspices of African Union Commission (AUC). The Congress participants discussed topics relevant to Africa’s socio-economic development agenda such as “Promoting Youth and African Patriotism”; “Campaigning for African Dignity”; “Advocating for Peace, Justice and Security” and “Fostering Active Citizenship.”