Youth Demand Accountability As Ghana Marks 56 Years

The youth wing of the Progressive People�s Party (PPP) has sent a message of good wishes to the Government and People of Ghana as the country turned 56 years. We have come a long way as a people and we are grateful to God for how far He has brought us, a press release signed by Mr Divine Nkrumah, National Youth Coordinator of the PPP, stated. According to the release, it is only right for Ghanaians to impress upon their leaders the need for them to be more responsible, saying �They have neglected the constitutional demand bestowed on them by our thumbs for our safety and welfare.� The PPP stated that on this national occasion, it was important to reflect on our history as a people, our attitude, culture, vision and commitment to nation building. Furthermore, the PPP said Ghanaians must consider whether the democracy we have over the years struggled to live by had helped to promote and consolidate our collective agenda. �As it stands now, if we the youth of this country are asked: what are your wishes for Ghana? What are your heart desires and sincere wishes for our motherland? We will simply answer by saying, we are tired of wishes and desires...please ask us another question. We want a paradigm shift from just having jamborees and talk-shops. We want our country to move from mediocrity to excellence, etc. At the same time, we wish to extend our sincere condolence to mother Ghana for such an abysmal performance in development as we step into our 56th year of independence,� the release stated. According to the statement, it was not amusing that � we are celebrating our 56th birthday and we still linger in unstable power supply, popularly called "Dum-so-Dum-so". No water, no electricity, no jobs for graduates, and mass rape of our scarce resource by selfish leaders who pride themselves in saying we have �come a long way". As we celebrate the day, we the youth of the PPP wishes to call on the central government to put a better programme of action in place to add new dimension to the celebration of the Independence Day Anniversary which would bring advanced social, political and economic benefits to the nation, particularly the younger generation in the country. The PPP expresses the wish that no individual in Ghana will go to sleep hungry or go without shelter on Independence Day, stating that �The sight of our brothers and sisters sleeping out in the open everywhere we turn in Ghana pains us. Clearly, the government is not awake yet. This is the right time for the Government to wake up.� On a great day like this, the PPP said it was their wish that government would be proud to say that it had managed to reduce unemployment rate in the country to about 4 per cent. �Not too long ago we all heard about the significant increase in the salaries of the President, Ministers and other top officials. As we speak, the president's monthly salary has gone up from about $4,240 to $6,357, and it is tax free. The salaries of Ministers, who also have benefits such as the use of two cars, a house with staff and an entertainment allowance, is now $4,770,� the release pointed out. MPs' salaries, according to the release, have been increased by $2,225 to $3,800 a month. Meanwhile, the statement said the monthly minimum wage in Ghana is about $75 and civil servants, such as teachers, earn below $500. What is good for the goose is equally good for the gander, the statement said, and asked why must our government officials and appointees enjoy the best of life whiles the membership of UGAG continue to swell each year? Why do only a few people enjoy the national cake at the expense of the larger society? Clearly, the destiny of the youth of Ghana cannot be guaranteed. ��It is our hope that on independence day like this, Ghana would have had high class inter regional highways to boost communication and trade within Ghana, yet Bolga to Wa is a disaster, Buem to Akatsi is unmotorable and many more roads are still not constructed. We want to urge the government to do something more fruitful on such a day by leaving positive economic and social legacies we can shout about as we celebrate Independence Day every year instead of the usual marching past by school children,�� it concluded.