I had a pastor friend who used to tell me that the sins of omission are graver than the sins of commission. Simply put, by my understanding, it is better to do something than not to do what you ought to do. Failing to do what one is supposed to do constitute very serious implications. Sometimes it is better for something not to be well done, than not done at all.
I am definitely not a youth, not by any standards, not even political, but I have worked for so long on youth issues that sometimes I tend to forget that I am slowly but surely ageing. An American friend of mine Kate Whidden recently told me that I am ageing gracefully. Honestly I have never gotten myself to quite understand what that means. Never mind.
I believe if you are in the development field, working on children and youth issues is as useful and strategic as being a teacher or a nurse.
About two months ago in one of my articles I suggested that the government declares a State of Health Emergency. Now see what is happening to our women, they are dying like flies in child birth or related complications. Somebody please send me the Amnesty International report recently out on this.
The passing of the National Youth Commission Act, 2009 is more than welcome news, infact a big relief for both government and youth Activists backed up by the generality of the Civil Society. I know that one person who definitely is breathing some good sigh of relief is Al-Sankoh. You remember a couple of months ago his national Youth Coalition gave government an ultimatum to put together the National youth Commission without further delay. Well there ensued an embarrassing stand-off between the two. You could have even heard a major state actor saying that the youth outfit had no legal mandate to give government an ultimatum on something they said was already being addressed.
Anyway that is all part of history now. The document is here now, what do we do with it? The formation of Commissions in this beleaguered country though always greeted with fanfare, has not proven the needed strategic solution to many of our problems. There are many commissions that are actually just in name – their functionality is yet to be seen. Many are starved of the needed funds that are just not available. So you see capable personalities sitting on the commissions but suffering from acute ‘harduptytis.’ Now the new Commission should do well to avoid the inadequacies of many of its kind. Let it copy the likes of the Anti-Corruption Commission which is now going more proactive and strategic of late. Just check out their Systems reviews on Health and Education Sectors. I am sure or can I advisedly say I hope government and the public can make maximum use of the documents. Of course it will serve as very good resource for planners.
I am sure many youth who have been campaigning wanted the youth issue to be considered in a different light and not be handled by the book. I don’t know whether you get me here…if you don’t then it is still better. The point here is setting up commissions has a procedure that does not really necessarily wear democratic make up. The fact that the appointment of Commissioners in our country falls squarely on the authority of the presidency, brings in the political angle which by extension draws in partisan ramifications. Never mind the Parliamentary approval clause it still remains more partisan that democratic. I am neither a lawyer nor a liar, I am just saying it as I see it. Having said that, we need to know the reason why this particular commission is of utmost importance.
The current youth questions of governance, unemployment, participation, education and a host of others can only be tackled by a sincere and unbiased commission, one that is accepted by the people for their demonstrated fairness and love for youth empowerment.
The TRC sees the massive youth unemployment as one of the reasons for the ten-year rebel carnage in Sierra Leone. The youth were both subjects and objects of the war – being positioned as perpetrators and victims, behind and in front of the gun.
Youth unemployment stems partly from their low educational level and even for rural youth in farming, they are deprived of access to farming inputs and credit. Those in the vocational training hardly get sustainable support and after completion marketability of products become problematic.
This situation hangs youth livelihood in a precarious balance causing disillusion and frustration. Political pronouncements about youth empowerment have always fallen short of the necessary political will to practicalize the dreams.
A resultant situation is that there are over half of the country’s population of youth not gainfully engaged. I am yet to settle down with the percentage of youth given in the Act… I think that is too low.
The 2004 Population and Housing Census shows that the youth unemployment rate (5.2%) is higher than the national rate (3.4%). The total youth population is 1,637,816 for ages 15 to 34. For the conventional age group of 30-34 the youth unemployment rate is very high9.3%. The bulk of youth are poorly educated and have very little place in decision making and governance. This situation therefore leaves the country’s development and security at stake. The vibrancy, dynamism and energy of youth if left to be misplaced may plunge our country into another war, thus destroying whatever little gains have been made.
This is the question that the Youth Commission will have to address. A possible take-off point is creating space and voice for youth in governance at all levels.
Through this, youth can effectively articulate their concerns and advocate from a position of strength. Their capacity should be built and given the necessary support to be functional.
State actors should skew the basic elements of good governance healthy life; acquisition of knowledge, and access to resources…to youth who are in the best situation to bail the country from its present predicament. Government and Civil Society should endeavor to make available all statutory documents for their understanding and take up their own advocacy issues.
For crying out loud let this commission be seen to be wearing a human face as those of the hundreds of thousands of depraved youth found all over the place. One thing I know is that the Commission’s viability will for the large part depend on how consultative and decentralized its activities prove. Well now is the time for action…we should not sit and wait until wata pass garri. Let the Commission realize that there should always be interaction among people involved in the process. The essence is not those in the Commission, but relationships.
By S. Beny SAM
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