On Monday 5th August 2019, the Minister of Youth Affairs launched the review of the National Youth Policy, and Two Acts, which have already expired (2014-2019). Held at the Conference room at the Ministry of Information and Communication, the Chinese Ambassador Hu Zhang Liang, said young people are the bulk of the world’s population; therefore there is a need to accord them access to various opportunities to drive growth. “During the Industrial Revolution in China, young people played a significant role to make China stand among the world’s economy and scientific development”. The Chief Executive of Ceebah Policy Group, Chernor Bah, said giving opportunities to young people at an early stage is important. He assured youth development partners of his commitment to review the youth policy for the next five years and encourage the involvement and participation of all youth across the country.
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Minister of Youth Affairs, Mohamed Bangura, said this is part of re-engineering deliverables for youth empowerment, changing the mind set of both policy makers and partners in youth empowerment. He noted that the first youth policy was developed in 2003 and the second in 2014, which have expired. Transforming our World to meet the 2030 SDG’s, recognizes the interlink ages between different dimensions of inequality, and mainstreaming marginalized groups of which young people are the majority, a precondition for achieving the goals, to leave no one behind. Deputy Minister of Information, Mamadi Gobeh-Kamara disclosed that surveys reveal that over 80% of rural youth live in poverty and the narrative should change from cheap handouts to unemployed and unskilled youth by the powers that be who pay lip service towards youth transformation. She added any effort towards addressing young people’s survival and development is a welcome message. Ahmed Jalloh, of NYS, added, “I am confident that the new policy for young people will be an all inclusive document that will salvage and solve the crucial issues affecting society, which blame is placed on young people.” Emerson Kamara furthered that the most effective ways to bolster youth development, include developing a robust stand alone youth policies and integrating them into sectoral policies of line ministries. Representing the UN donor community, UNDP’s Samuel Doe said no time has been as auspicious for young people in the country like now, adding that the time for lip service to youth transformation is over. “No MDA can perform functionally without the input of young people. Young people are a great reservoir of resources. They have huge potential. Let us encourage them on building the blocks to drive growth, rather than leave them to waste in the path of destruction,” Doe urged.
AC/5/8/19
By Ade Campbell
Tuesday August 06, 2019.
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