You may visit http://samuleepha.tigblog.org for the resource.
Alternatively you may access it as below.
It is hoped that you may find this worth reading. And more importantly share your thoughts on it.
Through discussions and further deliberations, we should be able to fine-tune our ideas on the way forward.
Yours truly
SMK.
A PAPER BY SAEED MUSAH-KHALEEPHA ON THE TOPIC: ‘THE AFRICAN UNION AND THE AFRICAN YOUTH CHARTER’ PRESENTED AT A SUMMIT ORGANISED BY THE ALL AFRICA STUDENTS UNION IN ACCRA ON THE THEME: ‘THE AFRICAN YOUTH CHARTER AND THE NKRUMAH AGENDA’ ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2009 AT THE ACCRA INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE.
THE AFRICAN UNION AND THE AFRICAN YOUTH CHARTER: Beyond Banjul; Issues in implementing the African Youth Charter
Mr Chairman,
Comrades from the fraternity of Students’ Governance,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I have been humbled by the invitation extended to me by this noble organization to deliver a paper on the African Youth Charter. I was initially billed to deliver a paper at a youth summit at a later date at a place away from my homeland, Ghana. And I had just received a communication referring to the postponement of that summit when yours came my way last Wednesday.
As the topics are mutually exclusive I had the challenge of preparing this in a matter of hours and I must say I was deeply consumed in that. This presentation is therefore just the work of a couple of days. Normally I give my write-ups some time to ‘mature’ since some of the issues and wordings may need refinement.
In the communication I received from this union, I was made to understand that I will be sharing the same platform as the Minister for Youth and Sports. Therefore many of the issues I touched on were aimed at soliciting specific responses from him.
Introduction
In July 2006, at the 7th ordinary AU summit held in Banjul, the Gambia, which in itself was held two months after the first ordinary session of the Conference of Ministers in charge of Youth in the African Union (COMY), the Assembly of Heads of State and Government endorsed the African Youth Charter and declared the year 2008 as the year of the African youth and November 1 every year as African Youth Day. And this is just a year before the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY) was revised from ten (10) thematic areas to fifteen (15) thematic areas.
The African Youth Charter was informed first of all by the call from member states for the development of a charter at their summit in Algiers in 1999. This was strengthened by the strategic plan of the Commission of the African Union (2004-2007), which had six key objectives viz.: to make the African Union Commission stronger and more responsive; to formulate a shared vision on Africa’s future (especially the youth); to promote and defend Africa’s positions in matters of interest to the continent and its people; to contribute to Africa’s cultural radiance; to enhance international and regional cooperation; and to promote a new citizenship anchored on Africa’s basic values, and on performance initiatives, and promote strong and integrated economies in Africa.
It is important to note here that the African Union Commission has recently been upgraded at an AU meeting in Sirte, Libya and is now known as the African Union Authority. It is the body charged with the implementation of the African Youth Charter.
Perhaps the most important determining factor for the development of the Charter was the status of the African Youth Report 2005 which showed that the ‘youth bulge’ in African populations could be a significant opportunity for Africa to make real progress. And this would require a deliberate effort and investment in youth development across the continent.
This presentation is intended to highlight what needs to be done by the member states (also called State Parties) to ensure that the Charter is taken into account in national development planning as it affects young people, and to ensure that it is implemented at national level through different mechanisms and existing national development frameworks.
The Charter
The African Youth Charter is a basic legal framework to guide and support policies, programmes and actions for youth development and empowerment across Africa. The Charter addresses the rights and freedoms, as well as the welfare, development and responsibilities of the youth.
Articles 2 to 9 of the Charter commits state parties to guarantee the rights of young people to own property, move freely, express themselves, associate freely with other members of the society and to practice whatever religion they choose. It further addresses the issues related to youth development, youth participation in decision making, youth policy (documents), education, health care, poverty reduction, employment, security, leisure and recreation, environment, culture, youth with disabilities, girls’ issues, youth in the diaspora and law enforcement in Articles 10 to 25.
It highlights the responsibilities of the youth regarding their own development and that of society in Article 26.
The Charter defines youth as any individual between the ages of 15 and 35. While this puts to rest the issue of a clear definition for youth on the continent, it also raises another very critical issue regarding personal growth and development. Youth is a transition period, and youth development programmes are put in place to support young people through this transition period. Given that life expectancy is significantly low for many countries. With the current life expectancy of 50.5 years for the continent, and as low as 42 in Sierra Leone, some wonder why we should define being young up to the age of 35? And pose the following questions: ‘When does the individual grow up?’
‘At what age do they then contribute to national development efforts?’
‘At what age do they then become productive and take responsibility for their own wellbeing?’
However, given that the responsibilities of the youth is defined in the Charter, it provides an opportunity for 15 to 35 year olds to take responsibility for their own development and those of their societies, and hopefully quicken the pace for the total emancipation of the African continent.
The Charter came into force on 8 August 2009, following the receipt of the 15th ratification on 8 July 2009. To date, 16 countries have ratified the Charter with Rwanda being the first and Nigeria being the most recent.
Other countries that have ratified the Charter are: Burkina Faso, Djibouti,
Gabon, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Libya, Mali, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, South Africa, Togo and Uganda; 32 countries have also signed the Charter. And your host country, Ghana though is a signatory, is yet to ratify the Charter.
Information has it that Angola and Zimbabwe have both ratified the Charter. These are yet to be communicated to the AU Commission – the body responsible for implementing the Charter within the structures of the AU. What remains is to put in place the relevant mechanisms and structures to ensure that the Charter is implemented.
Implementation of the Charter
At a meeting of 11 pilot countries to advance the popularisation, ratification and
implementation of the Charter held in May 2009, African Union member states outlined certain conditions under which the Charter can be implemented. These include that all member states should: ratify the Charter by the end of the year 2010; have in place national youth policies and action plans that take into account and support the implementation of the Charter (this also applies to countries whose national youth policies are not in compliance with the Youth Charter); have mechanisms for reporting on progress made with the implementation of youth policies and programmes; and strengthen their respective representative bodies for youth.
Thus the Charter provides the basis for greater coordination by sectoral ministries responsible for youth (for example ministries of youth, employment and education among others), while providing the youth with a tool for advocacy and demand for greater accountability of government work.
The first step towards the implementation of the Charter is to put in place the relevant
frameworks and institutions that are needed to advance the status of youth in each member state.
These include: the institution of a government ministry or department responsible for youth affairs, the institution of a national youth coordinating body (council or federation or association as the case may be), the development of relevant national youth development frameworks, and the allocation of adequate budgetary resources for youth development.
Whilst Ghana has a Youth Ministry and a Youth Council, one can not best tell about the status of the country with respect to a National Youth Development framework. With respect to adequate budgetary support, it may be noted that concerns have been raised about the substitution of youth development budgets for sports. This in itself may not inure to the best interests of the youth since sports at best solves two of the main issues of youth development, that is, leisure and recreation for many and employment for some.
Another key step in the implementation of the Charter is the need to complement efforts made through the creation of focal points within the diverse line ministries affected by the provisions of the Charter, in order to facilitate coordination across sectors.
To enhance planning, the Charter should serve the basis to align national data-collection systems of persons within the age bracket of 15 to 35 across member states. And this data collection should be an ongoing process.
There has been some seeming confusion about how to implement the Charter. Some countries have proposed to develop separate implementation frameworks for the Charter, while others have indicated that the provisions of the Charter have been integrated into their respective national youth policies. However, the presentation by South Africa’s National Youth Commission points in the right direction:
More significantly, the Charter must be implemented within the framework of existing policies at the national level, especially the National Youth Policy.
Other policies to be adapted include the constitution as well as national policy frameworks on human rights, health, education, employment and various others as set out between Articles 2 and 25. Ghana has done considerably well with respect to some of these indicators. For instance the decision to abolish the shift system, introduce the capitation grant and the school feeding programme in basic schools are most commendable. The country may not fair well in its ‘calypso dance’ with second cycle education as has been observed by many. And I have commented extensively on the employment situation in a write-up I did last month on the occasion of the International Youth Day.
Experts say if the implementation of the Charter is integrated into other national policies, countries will incur little or no extra budgetary costs. Statutory budgetary allocations in the different sectors are often intended to provide services to the entire population. However, in implementing the provisions of the Youth Charter, each sector must keep in mind the need to create specific services for young people between the ages of 15 and 35 within that sector.
For instance Health services must take into account the need for this age bracket to access tailor-made reproductive health services.
Ensuring that services are tailor-made require that the regular trainings that are received by service personnel, that is training programmes meant for the staff of the applicable institution, take into account training for these youth-specific issues without creating new programmes.
In terms of education and skills development training, they are mainly targeted at the youth. However, more needs to be done to ensure that the curriculum meets market demands. And these can be done within the broad framework of education sector reforms.
One critical question that has been repeated several times is: is the African Youth Charter the solution to Africa’s youth development problems? The answer is both yes and no. The answer is yes because at the very minimum the Charter provides the basis for young people to advocate for their rights and it will serve as the guiding framework for youth development. Broadly, the Charter will also serve the means to guide long term planning on youth development. It is no for some reasons and one of it is that one is yet to sight a provision of the Charter that talks about Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Nonetheless it is a bold and assertive document for developing the youth of Africa
You may recall that the years 2009 to 2018 have been declared as the decade on youth development in Africa already. It is expected that this will assist many member states to think long term in their youth development planning. Many member states have national planning horizons set quite far in the future. For example, Botswana have theirs spanning up to 2016, Nigeria, Rwanda and Malawi all have it set up-to 2020, and up to 2030 for Zambia. Thus the Charter will assist these countries to integrate youth issues within their long-term national development frameworks.
A plan of action for the years 2009 to 2018 is also being developed by the AU Commission, which is actually the implementation and monitoring body for the African Youth Charter within the structures of the AU, as a means to advance the implementation of the Youth Charter over the next decade. This will significantly provide further guidance to the work of member states.
The African Youth Charter guarantees the participation of young people in parliament. This commits member states to guarantee a number of seats for youth using a quota system. This is already operational in some countries. And here Uganda and Rwanda are good examples.
Affirmative action must be implemented at national level regarding youth participation, and this must be done in a structured way, as part of national development policy. Increasingly, young people are taking leadership on their own terms and leading the change processes in their countries. They should be given a chance to participate.
In Ghana we have only mentioned a National Youth Parliament, not even the quota system, and it is yet to receive any favourable attention since we had a mock Parliament in February 2007. I have just been informed that the Parliament of Ghana gathered some students from institutions in Accra last Tuesday on the issue of conflict resolution. It is obvious that more ought to be done to accelerate the pace of youth development.
Affirmative action should also target the labour market. Unemployment rates in Africa are significantly high. This is a direct result of weak education systems, and is a direct cause of poverty, which drives many social and health problems. Because of this connection between employment and education, education systems must be shaped to meet market demands and not just education for the sake of literacy and numeracy.
Opportunities must also be provided to the young people to develop skills while at school in order to enable them get jobs immediately they leave school.
This can be done by adopting and implementing affirmative action, regarding employment policies.
Education must be made accessible to our young people, and efforts to provide loans, grants and the like must be expanded. For those who bother to know, you may find my write-up on student loans published in the Daily Graphic in the last quarter of 2005 useful. I am considering publishing it on my blog for your easy access.
In order to bring the provisions of the African Youth Charter to fruition, youth groups must start to organize advocacy campaigns on specific issues in the Charter. They must also start to organise around the governance processes to get themselves and their peers into public policy making spaces.
However, it is important for youth to also demonstrate (provide models) how the implementation of the Youth Charter is possible through the work of their organisations by undertaking education initiatives, participating in community volunteer teaching initiatives, getting involved in volunteer health care and environmental programmes and advocacy campaigns.
The 26th article of the African Youth Charter points clearly in the direction of the role of youth in such activities.
Conclusion
Finally the African Youth Charter is a practical step towards the full empowerment and development of Africa’s youth, who constitute around 20 percent of the continent’s population. While the diverse efforts to ensure that the Charter is implemented are being undertaken, it is important for all stakeholders to clearly appreciate the essence of investing in youth, not just as a burden to society, but as a resource for development.
Only when the youth are well served that the future of any nation can be fully guaranteed.
Mr. Chairman, permit me at this point to share some few thoughts with the delegates.
I take note that you are student leaders in your various countries and institutions. I wish to share with you some five qualities you will not need in today’s world.
You would not need boot camp values: The old values of unquestioning submission to authority are counter productive in this era.
Deniability: Leaders need to close the trust gap. When things go wrong, leaders accept responsibility rather than shift the blame.
The Golden Rule: Not the one that says “Do unto others as you want others to do unto you”, they say that is the silver rule and it is good. But you would not need the one that says, “He who has the gold makes the rules”. High allowances and expensive perks and per diem do not make the leader. Leaders show their abilities not their privileges.
Self-centeredness: In the stressful, fast changing education and leadership environment, leaders give others a chance to shine.
An iron fist: Reign by terror does not cut anymore. “Leaders do not inflict pain: they bear pain”.
Now, bearing in mind that parts of this presentation calls for change either in system or style. Let us focus on some steps to effective change. First you need to create dissatisfaction with status quo. In Nigeria where you have a youth development policy show that you want it implemented. In Uganda and Rwanda where you have the quota system being implemented call for impact assessment. In Ghana where you are not aware whether there is a youth policy or not push and demand for answers.
Then debate possible futures; open minds to new options and mobilise commitments. Ask the ‘what ifs’ and the ‘how abouts’. What if we commit ourselves to an educational system that will not be varied in the next decade or more? How about developing a human face policy to handle juvenile delinquency? And so on.
Next, act to learn, to discover what actually works in real world and foster consensus building.
And finally review, reflect and revise your strategies; monitor and adjust your ongoing efforts and your future plans of engagement.
A word of caution however; these may not be readily welcome by some of your constituents. They may raise legitimate issues of concern and some of them could be any of the following: It won’t work; we are already doing it; it has been tried before; it is not practical; it would not solve the problem; it is too risky; it is based on pure theory; it will cost too much; it will antagonise other stakeholders (management, union, students, lecturers, government); it will create more problems than it solves.
In all of these you will have to let reason prevail.
Mr. Chairman, I have been advocating for non-violent means of resolving differences. And even when you choose non-violence, I advocate for non-adversarial methods or non-litigious means for resolving differences. I am hopeful that you will give this your considered attention.
This summit is on the African Youth Charter and the Nkrumah Agenda. I take note that by now you have had several memorable quotations from Dr Kwame Nkrumah already. I intend to defy this. Rather, I wish to quote from one of Nkrumah’s contemporaries who admitted that he was greatly inspired and motivated by Nkrumah.
That is Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere who said “decades ago, as President of my country, I told Tanzanians that the choice before them was to change or be changed. I was wrong. There was no choice. They had to change and would still be changed.”
Thank you,
God bless the youth of Africa
God bless young people in the world
God bless our future
Thank you
And God bless you.
Saeed Musah-Khaleepha
19 September 2009
rafani@email.com
+233(0)208121764
http://samuleepha.blogspot.com
http://imediate.blogspot.com
http://raafani.blogspot.com
NOTE: References are available on request.
Monday, 28 September 2009
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY 2009: “SUSTAINABILITY: OUR CHALLENGE. OUR FUTURE”
The 12th of August each year is commemorated as International Youth Day.
The General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) adopted resolution 54/120 on 17 December 1999 to endorse the recommendations made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (held in Lisbon from August 8 to 12, 1998) that 12 August should be declared International Youth Day.
The Assembly recommended that public information activities should be organized to support the day as a way to promote better awareness of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond which was also adopted by the General Assembly in 1995 in resolution 50/81. This is to recognize the imagination, ideals and energies of young people as vital for the continuing development of the societies in which they live.
Earlier in 1965 the Member States of the UN acknowledged this when they endorsed the Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and Understanding between Peoples.
Two decades later the UN General Assembly then observed 1985 as the International Youth Year with the theme Participation, Development and Peace which drew international attention to the important role young people play in the world and in particular, their potential contribution to development.
The World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond is therefore supposed to guide policy initiation and implementation in the area of youth and youth development. In its original form, the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY) outlined 10 thematic areas to be addressed. However in 2007 Member States agreed to add five additional areas.
The first ten areas of WPAY are education, employment, hunger and poverty, health, environment, drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, leisure-time activities, girls and young women and the full and effective participation of youth in the life of society and in decision-making. The other five added in 2007 comprise globalization, information and communication technologies, HIV/AIDS, conflict, and intergenerational issues.
Each of the fifteen priority areas is meant to reflect the three themes of the International Youth Year: Participation, Development and Peace. These objectives are interlinked and mutually reinforcing.
Last year’s celebration was on the theme “Youth and climate change:Time for Action”. And this year’s celebration is on the theme “Sustainability: Our Challenge. Our Future.”
Sustainability does not only refer to maintaining environmental balance and renewal. Sustainability encapsulates three facets of life: the environment, society and the economy. We live our lives in the overlaps and intersections of these facets, and our actions and attitudes help shape them. Their changing shapes in turn affect the way we are able to live our lives. The negative effects of unsustainable behaviour are not easily contained.
For instance it is estimated that Ghana may lose its forest cover in 23 years. Statistics has it that Ghana’s forest cover has shrunk from 8.3 million hectares in 2000 to 1.5 million hectares in 2006 and continue to deplete at a rate of 65000 hectares. This gives clear indications that programmes on aforestation may not be yielding the desired results.
In the area of the economy. There are five economic indicators which are the rate of inflation, the interest rate, the exchange rate, the GDP growth rate and the rate of unemployment. In 2005 the World Youth Report estimates that about 88.2 million youth are unemployed globally and according to the estimations of the International Labour Organisation this represents a significant 14.5 percent of young persons who are unemployed in the world.
In Ghana, at President Kufour’s first major press conference at the castle Osu, the then President of the Ghana Journalist Association, Madam Adjoa Yeboah Afari asked the then President of the Republic about the unemployment rate. The President observed that the figures are not readily available and indicated that the Ghana Statistical Service was not adequately resourced to produce these figures. While this situation is worrying, it is not surprising due to the nature and character of unemployment itself coupled with the reluctance of many job seekers to make full disclosure over their employment situation.
Indeed the unemployment situation is a youthful phenomenon. The unemployment rate in the younger age group 15 to 24 is more than twice that of the 25 to 44 age group and more than thrice that of the older age group of 45 to 64. Conscious efforts must therefore be made to provide gainful employment opportunities to the youth. The policy of the government of Ghana to freeze employment in the public sector does not seem to go down well with many.
Youth unemployment is only a tip of the iceberg. Although more difficult to quantify, there are two other groups that together suffer similar frustrations as the unemployed: the discouraged youth and the working poor. Permit me to say that the youth are hardworking and not lazy. A careful look at streetism will justify how young people living on the streets struggle and work very hard to survive though they may be on the streets through no fault of theirs.
Graduate unemployment is a big issue, so is streetism. Streetism has the tendency to breed violence, armed robbery and drug addiction – all of which are injurious to the human person with a high social cost.
This brings our attention to the society. There seem to be a general challenge in parenting. The phenomenon of cyber fraud and armed robbery are profound statements on the issue of parenting. The burdens of keeping a responsible family as a basic unit of society seem to increase by the day. Our social and religious forums must be seen to articulate the essence on maintaining a family that conforms to societal norms and values.
The WPAY and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) should together help us maintain a clear view about the future. Priority must be placed on education if we want to make much progress. Government, policy-makers and the civil society should give special attention to promoting free and universal education up to the second cycle level in poor communities where the opportunity costs to staying in school are prohibitively high for young people and their families. Stakeholders must in particular give their unconditional support to the Capitation Grant. It is observed that investing in youth in rural areas in a way that decreases their likelihood of migrating would have the added effect of helping to improve conditions for young people in urban areas.
Access to free education is not only one of the eight MDGs or one of the fifteen priorities of the WPAY but a provision of Article 25 of the 1992 constitution of Ghana, whose wording is almost the same as Article 13 of the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Finally the saying that the youth are the future leaders is at best a cliché. Whilst the youth may not view it as ruse intended to render us inactive till the future comes, it may have factual deficiencies. The fact that the youth are the part of the current generation that is more likely to be a part of the future generation is without doubt. Youth participation in all aspects of society is therefore essential to our sustainability and continuous development. It is through participation that we will understand the rationale of the decisions of today and those meant for the future.
We welcome concerted efforts by all stakeholders to harness the potentials of the youth. The National Youth Council in particular must make available to all stakeholders the contents of Ghana’s national youth policy if there is any.
From the foregoing let us emphasise on the need to adopt a global sense of social responsibility. With this in mind, and as the energizers of today and the holders of tomorrow, it is imperative that the youth embrace the challenge of sustainability in its fullness as they help pave the way forward through the 21st century and beyond. Youth action, inclusion, and their full participation are keys to developing today’s world for the generations of today and tomorrow. And there is no gain saying that these are central to a sustainable existence.
.....................
Saeed Musah-Khaleepha
rafani@email.com
+233(0)208121764
Box NB 889, Nii Boitown, Accra, Ghana and
Box AS 194, Asawasi, Kumasi, Ghana.
The General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) adopted resolution 54/120 on 17 December 1999 to endorse the recommendations made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (held in Lisbon from August 8 to 12, 1998) that 12 August should be declared International Youth Day.
The Assembly recommended that public information activities should be organized to support the day as a way to promote better awareness of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond which was also adopted by the General Assembly in 1995 in resolution 50/81. This is to recognize the imagination, ideals and energies of young people as vital for the continuing development of the societies in which they live.
Earlier in 1965 the Member States of the UN acknowledged this when they endorsed the Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the Ideals of Peace, Mutual Respect and Understanding between Peoples.
Two decades later the UN General Assembly then observed 1985 as the International Youth Year with the theme Participation, Development and Peace which drew international attention to the important role young people play in the world and in particular, their potential contribution to development.
The World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond is therefore supposed to guide policy initiation and implementation in the area of youth and youth development. In its original form, the World Programme of Action for Youth (WPAY) outlined 10 thematic areas to be addressed. However in 2007 Member States agreed to add five additional areas.
The first ten areas of WPAY are education, employment, hunger and poverty, health, environment, drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, leisure-time activities, girls and young women and the full and effective participation of youth in the life of society and in decision-making. The other five added in 2007 comprise globalization, information and communication technologies, HIV/AIDS, conflict, and intergenerational issues.
Each of the fifteen priority areas is meant to reflect the three themes of the International Youth Year: Participation, Development and Peace. These objectives are interlinked and mutually reinforcing.
Last year’s celebration was on the theme “Youth and climate change:Time for Action”. And this year’s celebration is on the theme “Sustainability: Our Challenge. Our Future.”
Sustainability does not only refer to maintaining environmental balance and renewal. Sustainability encapsulates three facets of life: the environment, society and the economy. We live our lives in the overlaps and intersections of these facets, and our actions and attitudes help shape them. Their changing shapes in turn affect the way we are able to live our lives. The negative effects of unsustainable behaviour are not easily contained.
For instance it is estimated that Ghana may lose its forest cover in 23 years. Statistics has it that Ghana’s forest cover has shrunk from 8.3 million hectares in 2000 to 1.5 million hectares in 2006 and continue to deplete at a rate of 65000 hectares. This gives clear indications that programmes on aforestation may not be yielding the desired results.
In the area of the economy. There are five economic indicators which are the rate of inflation, the interest rate, the exchange rate, the GDP growth rate and the rate of unemployment. In 2005 the World Youth Report estimates that about 88.2 million youth are unemployed globally and according to the estimations of the International Labour Organisation this represents a significant 14.5 percent of young persons who are unemployed in the world.
In Ghana, at President Kufour’s first major press conference at the castle Osu, the then President of the Ghana Journalist Association, Madam Adjoa Yeboah Afari asked the then President of the Republic about the unemployment rate. The President observed that the figures are not readily available and indicated that the Ghana Statistical Service was not adequately resourced to produce these figures. While this situation is worrying, it is not surprising due to the nature and character of unemployment itself coupled with the reluctance of many job seekers to make full disclosure over their employment situation.
Indeed the unemployment situation is a youthful phenomenon. The unemployment rate in the younger age group 15 to 24 is more than twice that of the 25 to 44 age group and more than thrice that of the older age group of 45 to 64. Conscious efforts must therefore be made to provide gainful employment opportunities to the youth. The policy of the government of Ghana to freeze employment in the public sector does not seem to go down well with many.
Youth unemployment is only a tip of the iceberg. Although more difficult to quantify, there are two other groups that together suffer similar frustrations as the unemployed: the discouraged youth and the working poor. Permit me to say that the youth are hardworking and not lazy. A careful look at streetism will justify how young people living on the streets struggle and work very hard to survive though they may be on the streets through no fault of theirs.
Graduate unemployment is a big issue, so is streetism. Streetism has the tendency to breed violence, armed robbery and drug addiction – all of which are injurious to the human person with a high social cost.
This brings our attention to the society. There seem to be a general challenge in parenting. The phenomenon of cyber fraud and armed robbery are profound statements on the issue of parenting. The burdens of keeping a responsible family as a basic unit of society seem to increase by the day. Our social and religious forums must be seen to articulate the essence on maintaining a family that conforms to societal norms and values.
The WPAY and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) should together help us maintain a clear view about the future. Priority must be placed on education if we want to make much progress. Government, policy-makers and the civil society should give special attention to promoting free and universal education up to the second cycle level in poor communities where the opportunity costs to staying in school are prohibitively high for young people and their families. Stakeholders must in particular give their unconditional support to the Capitation Grant. It is observed that investing in youth in rural areas in a way that decreases their likelihood of migrating would have the added effect of helping to improve conditions for young people in urban areas.
Access to free education is not only one of the eight MDGs or one of the fifteen priorities of the WPAY but a provision of Article 25 of the 1992 constitution of Ghana, whose wording is almost the same as Article 13 of the 1966 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Finally the saying that the youth are the future leaders is at best a cliché. Whilst the youth may not view it as ruse intended to render us inactive till the future comes, it may have factual deficiencies. The fact that the youth are the part of the current generation that is more likely to be a part of the future generation is without doubt. Youth participation in all aspects of society is therefore essential to our sustainability and continuous development. It is through participation that we will understand the rationale of the decisions of today and those meant for the future.
We welcome concerted efforts by all stakeholders to harness the potentials of the youth. The National Youth Council in particular must make available to all stakeholders the contents of Ghana’s national youth policy if there is any.
From the foregoing let us emphasise on the need to adopt a global sense of social responsibility. With this in mind, and as the energizers of today and the holders of tomorrow, it is imperative that the youth embrace the challenge of sustainability in its fullness as they help pave the way forward through the 21st century and beyond. Youth action, inclusion, and their full participation are keys to developing today’s world for the generations of today and tomorrow. And there is no gain saying that these are central to a sustainable existence.
.....................
Saeed Musah-Khaleepha
rafani@email.com
+233(0)208121764
Box NB 889, Nii Boitown, Accra, Ghana and
Box AS 194, Asawasi, Kumasi, Ghana.
Monday, 13 July 2009
Excerpts of Obama's Address to Ghana's Parliament
Below are excerpts of the address by the U.S. President to the Parliament of the Republic of Ghana delivered on Saturday July 11, 2009.
It is essentially the whole of the concluding part of his address, which incidentally feeds into our interest(s) directly.
We have not edited any part of it except the captions. We captioned parts of the address to ease reading and reference.
SMK
On Conflicts
Now, as we partner on behalf of a healthier future, we must also stop the destruction that comes not from illness, but from human beings - and so the final area that I will address is conflict.
Let me be clear: Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at perpetual war. But if we are honest, for far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun. There are wars over land and wars over resources. And it is still far too easy for those without conscience to manipulate whole communities into fighting among faiths and tribes.
These conflicts are a millstone around Africa's neck. Now, we all have many identities - of tribe and ethnicity; of religion and nationality. But defining oneself in opposition to someone who belongs to a different tribe or who worships a different prophet has no place in the 21st century. Africa's diversity should be a source of strength, not a cause for division. We are all God's children. We all share common aspirations - to live in peace and security; to access education and opportunity; to love our families and our communities and our faith. That is our common humanity.
That is why we must stand up to inhumanity in our midst. It is never justified, never justifiable to target innocents in the name of ideology. It is the death sentence of a society to force children to kill in wars. It is the ultimate mark of criminality and cowardice to condemn women to relentless and systemic rape. We must bear witness to the value of every child in Darfur and the dignity of every woman in the Congo. No faith or culture should condone the outrages against them. And all of us must strive for the peace and security necessary for progress.
Africans are standing up for this future. Here, too, in Ghana we are seeing you help point the way forward. Ghanaians should take pride in your contributions to peacekeeping from Congo to Liberia to Lebanon ... and your efforts to resist the scourge of the drug trade. We welcome the steps that are being taken by organizations like the African Union and ECOWAS to better resolve conflicts, to keep the peace and support those in need. And we encourage the vision of a strong, regional security architecture that can bring effective, transnational forces to bear when needed.
America has a responsibility to work with you as a partner to advance this vision, not just with words, but with support that strengthens African capacity. When there's a genocide in Darfur or terrorists in Somalia, these are not simply African problems - they are global security challenges, and they demand a global response.
And that's why we stand ready to partner through diplomacy and technical assistance and logistical support, and we will stand behind efforts to hold war criminals accountable. And let me be clear: Our Africa Command is focused not on establishing a foothold in the continent, but on confronting these common challenges to advance the security of America, Africa and the world.
In Moscow, I spoke of the need for an international system where the universal rights of human beings are respected, and violations of those rights are opposed. And that must include a commitment to support those who resolve conflicts peacefully, to sanction and stop those who don't, and to help those who have suffered. But ultimately, it will be vibrant democracies like Botswana and Ghana which roll back the causes of conflict and advance the frontiers of peace and prosperity.
As I said earlier, Africa's future is up to Africans.
The people of Africa are ready to claim that future. And in my country, African Americans - including so many recent immigrants - have thrived in every sector of society. We've done so despite a difficult past, and we've drawn strength from our African heritage. With strong institutions and a strong will, I know that Africans can live their dreams in Nairobi and Lagos, Kigali, Kinshasa, Harare, and right here in Accra.
You know, 52 years ago, the eyes of the world were on Ghana. And a young preacher named Martin Luther King traveled here, to Accra, to watch the Union Jack come down and the Ghanaian flag go up. This was before the march on Washington or the success of the civil rights movement in my country. Dr. King was asked how he felt while watching the birth of a nation. And he said: "It renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice."
To the Youth
Now that triumph must be won once more, and it must be won by you. And I am particularly speaking to the young people all across Africa and right here in Ghana. In places like Ghana, young people make up over half of the population.
And here is what you must know: The world will be what you make of it. You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease and end conflicts and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes you can ... because in this moment, history is on the move.
But these things can only be done if all of you take responsibility for your future. And it won't be easy. It will take time and effort. There will be suffering and setbacks. But I can promise you this: America will be with you every step of the way - as a partner, as a friend. Opportunity won't come from any other place, though. It must come from the decisions that all of you make, the things that you do, the hope that you hold in your heart.
About Optimism
Ghana, freedom is your inheritance. Now, it is your responsibility to build upon freedom's foundation. And if you do, we will look back years from now to places like Accra and say this was the time when the promise was realized; this was the moment when prosperity was forged, when pain was overcome, and a new era of progress began. This can be the time when we witness the triumph of justice once more. Yes we can. Thank you very much. God bless you. Thank you.
It is essentially the whole of the concluding part of his address, which incidentally feeds into our interest(s) directly.
We have not edited any part of it except the captions. We captioned parts of the address to ease reading and reference.
SMK
On Conflicts
Now, as we partner on behalf of a healthier future, we must also stop the destruction that comes not from illness, but from human beings - and so the final area that I will address is conflict.
Let me be clear: Africa is not the crude caricature of a continent at perpetual war. But if we are honest, for far too many Africans, conflict is a part of life, as constant as the sun. There are wars over land and wars over resources. And it is still far too easy for those without conscience to manipulate whole communities into fighting among faiths and tribes.
These conflicts are a millstone around Africa's neck. Now, we all have many identities - of tribe and ethnicity; of religion and nationality. But defining oneself in opposition to someone who belongs to a different tribe or who worships a different prophet has no place in the 21st century. Africa's diversity should be a source of strength, not a cause for division. We are all God's children. We all share common aspirations - to live in peace and security; to access education and opportunity; to love our families and our communities and our faith. That is our common humanity.
That is why we must stand up to inhumanity in our midst. It is never justified, never justifiable to target innocents in the name of ideology. It is the death sentence of a society to force children to kill in wars. It is the ultimate mark of criminality and cowardice to condemn women to relentless and systemic rape. We must bear witness to the value of every child in Darfur and the dignity of every woman in the Congo. No faith or culture should condone the outrages against them. And all of us must strive for the peace and security necessary for progress.
Africans are standing up for this future. Here, too, in Ghana we are seeing you help point the way forward. Ghanaians should take pride in your contributions to peacekeeping from Congo to Liberia to Lebanon ... and your efforts to resist the scourge of the drug trade. We welcome the steps that are being taken by organizations like the African Union and ECOWAS to better resolve conflicts, to keep the peace and support those in need. And we encourage the vision of a strong, regional security architecture that can bring effective, transnational forces to bear when needed.
America has a responsibility to work with you as a partner to advance this vision, not just with words, but with support that strengthens African capacity. When there's a genocide in Darfur or terrorists in Somalia, these are not simply African problems - they are global security challenges, and they demand a global response.
And that's why we stand ready to partner through diplomacy and technical assistance and logistical support, and we will stand behind efforts to hold war criminals accountable. And let me be clear: Our Africa Command is focused not on establishing a foothold in the continent, but on confronting these common challenges to advance the security of America, Africa and the world.
In Moscow, I spoke of the need for an international system where the universal rights of human beings are respected, and violations of those rights are opposed. And that must include a commitment to support those who resolve conflicts peacefully, to sanction and stop those who don't, and to help those who have suffered. But ultimately, it will be vibrant democracies like Botswana and Ghana which roll back the causes of conflict and advance the frontiers of peace and prosperity.
As I said earlier, Africa's future is up to Africans.
The people of Africa are ready to claim that future. And in my country, African Americans - including so many recent immigrants - have thrived in every sector of society. We've done so despite a difficult past, and we've drawn strength from our African heritage. With strong institutions and a strong will, I know that Africans can live their dreams in Nairobi and Lagos, Kigali, Kinshasa, Harare, and right here in Accra.
You know, 52 years ago, the eyes of the world were on Ghana. And a young preacher named Martin Luther King traveled here, to Accra, to watch the Union Jack come down and the Ghanaian flag go up. This was before the march on Washington or the success of the civil rights movement in my country. Dr. King was asked how he felt while watching the birth of a nation. And he said: "It renews my conviction in the ultimate triumph of justice."
To the Youth
Now that triumph must be won once more, and it must be won by you. And I am particularly speaking to the young people all across Africa and right here in Ghana. In places like Ghana, young people make up over half of the population.
And here is what you must know: The world will be what you make of it. You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease and end conflicts and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes you can ... because in this moment, history is on the move.
But these things can only be done if all of you take responsibility for your future. And it won't be easy. It will take time and effort. There will be suffering and setbacks. But I can promise you this: America will be with you every step of the way - as a partner, as a friend. Opportunity won't come from any other place, though. It must come from the decisions that all of you make, the things that you do, the hope that you hold in your heart.
About Optimism
Ghana, freedom is your inheritance. Now, it is your responsibility to build upon freedom's foundation. And if you do, we will look back years from now to places like Accra and say this was the time when the promise was realized; this was the moment when prosperity was forged, when pain was overcome, and a new era of progress began. This can be the time when we witness the triumph of justice once more. Yes we can. Thank you very much. God bless you. Thank you.
Tuesday, 16 June 2009
Day of the African child
Day of the African child: the unending plight of African children
Nairobi, June 16th 2009: Africa observes the Day of the African Child, in memory of, thousands of black school children who were maimed and killed in 1976 Soweto uprising, as they took to the streets to protest the inferior quality of their education and to demand their right to be taught in their own language.
To honour the memory of those killed and to meet the Millennium Development Goals relating to the welfare and safety of African children, the UN Millennium Campaign Calls on African states, Civil Society Organizations and the private sector to tackle child and maternal mortality, school dropout, gender inequality in UPE and poor quality standards of UPE.
As many as 50,000 African children under the age of 5 years will be losing their lives as a result of preventable or curable diseases. And children as many as 38 million of primary school age in Africa will still remain out of school.
“Child survival, protection and development are not only universal aspirations enshrined in the MDGs, they are also human rights issues ratified in the International Convention on the Rights of Children and the African charter on the rights and welfare of the child” Says the UN Millennium Campaign Communications Coordinator and Acting Deputy Director for Africa, Ms. Sylvia Mwichuli.
“Investing in the health and education of African children and their mothers is a sound economic decision and one of the surest ways for a country to secure its future. Reducing child mortality and ensuring Universal Primary Education, requires strong political commitment.” She quipped.
From Sierra Leone to Ethiopia, Angola to Mozambique, an average of more than 1 in every 4 children die before the age of five. In Liberia, Mali, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burkina Faso, the figure is more than one in every five children.
Even Africa's biggest and most developed countries scores of children die before their fifth birthdays: in Nigeria 191 of every 1,000 children die by the age of five, in Botswana it is 124 and in Kenya it is 121.
To compound the situation further, while official reports indicate that Children are now better off than they were ten years ago and can look forward to living beyond the age of 5, their mothers still die while bearing them consequently denying them parental care.
Whether it’s the mother or her baby that dies-life shouldn’t be lost in avoidable circumstances: no mother wants to produce a child for death to grab nor any baby would wish to grow up an orphan, or come to life at the expense of the mother’s life.
An African child who lives beyond his/her fifth birth day and make it into school going age; hunger, disease, discrimination and inadequate facilities deny her/him a chance to enroll and stay in school.
Although official reports- like the UN Millennium Development Goals 2008 report shows that there is widespread progress in primary school enrollment, user fees, such as uniform, stationary and meals, armed conflict, lack of birth registration, child labour and HIV/AIDS still keep around 38 million African children of primary school age out of school. The conditions are more devastating for girls, the higher they climb the ladder of education the wider the rate of dropout.
According to the UN Millennium Campaign, Policy Associate, Thomas Deve, “To ensure that more vulnerable and marginalized are enrolled and remain in school, targeted programs and interventions aimed at poor households such as setting up satellite schools in remote areas, eliminating school fees, providing school meals, constructing separate sanitation facilities, ensuring a safe school environment and promoting later marriage must be designed and implemented across countries that lag behind on these MDGs targets.”
Time and again, it has been proven that when political commitment is present, the results are often significant. Countries like Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya and Ghana are good cases. Malawi for example has moved from a hungry country that it has always been to a regional food supplier in recent years. It is also only second to Costa Rica globally in reducing child mortality by more than 1/3 in the past three years!
Zambia has made great strides in HIV testing, prevention, and education after president Mwanawasa declared a national emergency in 2004. By the end of the year, he had surpassed his goal of providing 10,000 citizens with antiretroviral treatment (ART). The government has also focused on integrating HIV/AIDS education into the public school curriculum.
When it seemed impossible for pastoral communities in Kenya to access education, the government designed mobile classrooms in which the children of the nomads access education as they wander about in search of water and pasture for their cattle.
In all of these cases the reason for success has been the country’s political will.
Nairobi, June 16th 2009: Africa observes the Day of the African Child, in memory of, thousands of black school children who were maimed and killed in 1976 Soweto uprising, as they took to the streets to protest the inferior quality of their education and to demand their right to be taught in their own language.
To honour the memory of those killed and to meet the Millennium Development Goals relating to the welfare and safety of African children, the UN Millennium Campaign Calls on African states, Civil Society Organizations and the private sector to tackle child and maternal mortality, school dropout, gender inequality in UPE and poor quality standards of UPE.
As many as 50,000 African children under the age of 5 years will be losing their lives as a result of preventable or curable diseases. And children as many as 38 million of primary school age in Africa will still remain out of school.
“Child survival, protection and development are not only universal aspirations enshrined in the MDGs, they are also human rights issues ratified in the International Convention on the Rights of Children and the African charter on the rights and welfare of the child” Says the UN Millennium Campaign Communications Coordinator and Acting Deputy Director for Africa, Ms. Sylvia Mwichuli.
“Investing in the health and education of African children and their mothers is a sound economic decision and one of the surest ways for a country to secure its future. Reducing child mortality and ensuring Universal Primary Education, requires strong political commitment.” She quipped.
From Sierra Leone to Ethiopia, Angola to Mozambique, an average of more than 1 in every 4 children die before the age of five. In Liberia, Mali, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burkina Faso, the figure is more than one in every five children.
Even Africa's biggest and most developed countries scores of children die before their fifth birthdays: in Nigeria 191 of every 1,000 children die by the age of five, in Botswana it is 124 and in Kenya it is 121.
To compound the situation further, while official reports indicate that Children are now better off than they were ten years ago and can look forward to living beyond the age of 5, their mothers still die while bearing them consequently denying them parental care.
Whether it’s the mother or her baby that dies-life shouldn’t be lost in avoidable circumstances: no mother wants to produce a child for death to grab nor any baby would wish to grow up an orphan, or come to life at the expense of the mother’s life.
An African child who lives beyond his/her fifth birth day and make it into school going age; hunger, disease, discrimination and inadequate facilities deny her/him a chance to enroll and stay in school.
Although official reports- like the UN Millennium Development Goals 2008 report shows that there is widespread progress in primary school enrollment, user fees, such as uniform, stationary and meals, armed conflict, lack of birth registration, child labour and HIV/AIDS still keep around 38 million African children of primary school age out of school. The conditions are more devastating for girls, the higher they climb the ladder of education the wider the rate of dropout.
According to the UN Millennium Campaign, Policy Associate, Thomas Deve, “To ensure that more vulnerable and marginalized are enrolled and remain in school, targeted programs and interventions aimed at poor households such as setting up satellite schools in remote areas, eliminating school fees, providing school meals, constructing separate sanitation facilities, ensuring a safe school environment and promoting later marriage must be designed and implemented across countries that lag behind on these MDGs targets.”
Time and again, it has been proven that when political commitment is present, the results are often significant. Countries like Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya and Ghana are good cases. Malawi for example has moved from a hungry country that it has always been to a regional food supplier in recent years. It is also only second to Costa Rica globally in reducing child mortality by more than 1/3 in the past three years!
Zambia has made great strides in HIV testing, prevention, and education after president Mwanawasa declared a national emergency in 2004. By the end of the year, he had surpassed his goal of providing 10,000 citizens with antiretroviral treatment (ART). The government has also focused on integrating HIV/AIDS education into the public school curriculum.
When it seemed impossible for pastoral communities in Kenya to access education, the government designed mobile classrooms in which the children of the nomads access education as they wander about in search of water and pasture for their cattle.
In all of these cases the reason for success has been the country’s political will.
Saturday, 30 May 2009
THE UPSURGE OF VIOLENT CONFLICTS IN THE NORTH: THE YOUTH MUST RETHINK
Below is an article by Mohammed Yakubu Dasana the Co-Ordinator of the Three Northern Regions Youth for Peace and Development (NORYDEV) a partner organisation of Khaleepha Consult.
I was at the launch of the group here in Accra and I was deeply impressed about the efforts being made by the organisation.
The write-up is with such an active voice that one may assume that the writer is right before him in a conversation. He asserts that "no outsider and no government or state institution can resolve the problems created by us except ourselves". A significant admission that is relevant to the resolution of the various issues related to the three northern regions.
I his concluding paragraph he writes that "violent armed conflicts have been unnecessary and have led to catastrophic consequences. The economic costs of conflicts are immeasurable and in conflict areas, poverty sucks the energies of people, malnutrition kills children, illiteracy darkens their minds and forecloses their future. We all ...must therefore ...endeavour to take part in effective conflict prevention; management and resolution for the rest of the country may not wait for us while we struggle amidst conflicts."
You may access the full article by following this link http://northernwingtodayblogg.blogspot.com/2009/05/upsurge-of-violent-conflicts-in-north.html
Alternatively you may continue to read the full article as published below.
The website of the organisation is http://www.northernwingtoday.com/index.html
Saeed
I was at the launch of the group here in Accra and I was deeply impressed about the efforts being made by the organisation.
The write-up is with such an active voice that one may assume that the writer is right before him in a conversation. He asserts that "no outsider and no government or state institution can resolve the problems created by us except ourselves". A significant admission that is relevant to the resolution of the various issues related to the three northern regions.
I his concluding paragraph he writes that "violent armed conflicts have been unnecessary and have led to catastrophic consequences. The economic costs of conflicts are immeasurable and in conflict areas, poverty sucks the energies of people, malnutrition kills children, illiteracy darkens their minds and forecloses their future. We all ...must therefore ...endeavour to take part in effective conflict prevention; management and resolution for the rest of the country may not wait for us while we struggle amidst conflicts."
You may access the full article by following this link http://northernwingtodayblogg.blogspot.com/2009/05/upsurge-of-violent-conflicts-in-north.html
Alternatively you may continue to read the full article as published below.
The website of the organisation is http://www.northernwingtoday.com/index.html
Saeed
UNEDITED; SLIGHTLY FORMATTED
Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Mediation on the Rise
Mediation, an interest-based dispute settlement process is continually gaining momentum.
The Australian Government undoubtedly showed its commitment when it appointed a judge to the Supreme Court having regard to the fact that the judge will promote Mediation in the Australian judiciary. Please read more on the following link.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/new-supreme-court-judge-set-to-promote-mediation-20090331-9ibp.html
In Ghana, the Chief Justice and the Attorney-General have both shown demonstrable commitment to promoting ADR and mediation.
The Australian Government undoubtedly showed its commitment when it appointed a judge to the Supreme Court having regard to the fact that the judge will promote Mediation in the Australian judiciary. Please read more on the following link.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/new-supreme-court-judge-set-to-promote-mediation-20090331-9ibp.html
In Ghana, the Chief Justice and the Attorney-General have both shown demonstrable commitment to promoting ADR and mediation.
Friday, 30 January 2009
The "Project" Students Youth Parliament
It is almost two years since this project.
http://news.thinkghana.com/news/200702/2898.php
I am only hopeful that young persons will show some more commitment to their involvement in the activities of the state that may eventually be their future preoccupation.
At Khaleepha Consult, we have committed some human resource for worthy projects, and this includes the Youth Parliament.
Saeed
http://news.thinkghana.com/news/200702/2898.php
I am only hopeful that young persons will show some more commitment to their involvement in the activities of the state that may eventually be their future preoccupation.
At Khaleepha Consult, we have committed some human resource for worthy projects, and this includes the Youth Parliament.
Saeed
Saturday, 3 January 2009
President-elect Pledges the Youth and Labour to...
The President-elect of Ghana Pro. John Evans Atta Mills has promised in the manifesto that got him elected to provide the necessary ambiance for the youth and labour organisations.
He made several references to training, capacity building and equal opportunity for all.
He underscored the fact that "the youth of Ghana must strive for excellence in every achievable endeavour by setting honest goals based on national sense of fair-play, virtue and industry" . For the rest of his commitments to the youth please refer to the following link: http://elections.myjoyonline.com/pages/prez/2008/atta-mills/35.php
In reference to labour, he said he "will forge and maintain transparent systems of dialogue and arbitration for collective bargaining rights of all workers with a view to promoting a healthy and vibrant industrial climate for accelerated national economic development and growth"
He ended by saying "Conflict resolution, industrial peace and corporate growth will be key concerns while individual rights and opportunities will be central to generating worker confidence in the public and private sectors." You may access the rest of his manifesto on labour by clicking the following link: http://elections.myjoyonline.com/pages/prez/2008/atta-mills/37.php
While some of these commitments may be within the domain of our area(s) of interest, we at Khaleepha Consult hope the new government will find worthy stakeholders for the realisation of the national agenda.
Saeed Musah-Khaleepha
+233(0)208121764
raafani@gmail.com
rafani@email.com
Accra.
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