Some Cape Coast youth formed as part of efforts to localize the Sustainability Development Growth (SDGs) has called for a fair representation of the youth on national issues.
They said it was time Government conducted a voluntary, regular and inclusive youth meetings to discuss pertinent national issues that affected them before such policies were rolled out.
“We desire to equally be a part of policy reviews, its progress at the national and sub-national levels to share experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Ms. Millicent Nketia, group lead said the youth were proactive enough to set a compelling agenda for inclusion in national decision making process.
“Policies should not be passed on top of our heads. We matter and we have to be allowed to be part of the entire decision the process” she lamented.
The youth task force team were selected from Kakumdo a suburb of the Cape Coast Metropolitan Area through the project funded by Crossing Borders Consortium in Denmark with the Ghana Community Radio Network (GCRN) as an implementing partner.
Mr Gake Selete Nyomi, Executive Director of Coastal Television said the project was been undertaken in all 22 communities media outlets connected to the GCRN with four in the Central Region.
The idea of the project , he said was to work with particularly the youth in host communities to identify themselves with the 17 SDGs and to help impact knowledge into their respective communities.
“This project has engaged youths through a five day workshop to help link their stories and life situations to the SDGs for better understanding and clarity”.
As part of the project, Mr. Nyomi said communities would be made to rank and prioritize some SDGs which would inform a decision to come up with a project that would meet their true needs.
He said the task force would initiate a community SDG forum, facilitate these sessions and as well facilitate the selection and development of one community -level mini projects.
“There’s a structured plan every step of the way and all of these is expected to be concluded by June 2023”
He further urged youths to stand as agents of social change and be self disciplined especially because they constituted the majority of the country’s population, and their active participation , enthusiasm and willingness was expected to effect change in the country.
