Ghanaian Youth Disenchanted With Porous Youth Support Scheme By Prez Mahama-NDC Govt.

The national economy is in grave state and in the doldrums for that matter with ever escalating cost of living, and rising social challenges particularly concerning youth development and flourishing in Ghana. Inspite of the mounting debt stock of the nation rising from seven billion ($7.1) in 2011 to some estimated twenty-five billion ($25 Billion) United States dollars, nothing is there to show that the huge deliberate borrowings by this government with its attendant high accumulated interests with our oil as a surety is being addressed to the concerns of the youth with respect to education, human resource development, youth empowerment and entrepreneurship among others. It is worrying that the Youth Enterprise Fund (YESF) has been a mere cosmetic bluff and a decoy to portray that government has got something meaningful for the Ghanaian youth. This antiquated social democratic propaganda of a ��Better Ghana�� never can, and posits nothing better for the growing youth population of our dear nation; having already been reeling under massive and unprecedented graduate youth unemployment, poor and dwindling infrastructure systems which currently is rendering more youth of Ghana neither literate nor numerate. My earlier call for the youth of Ghana to say No to Mahama�s YESF programme is still relevant and operational. Our nation�s youth is faced with a grim future under this mediocre administration. Rhetorically, it suffices to ask, wither the hope for the youth of Ghana? Currently, the rate of inflation coupled with the ever increasing lending rates puts the cost of doing business above the heads of even established businesses and therefore the youth startups are in a precarious state. Today is the fifth government meeting with the International Monetary Fund supposedly geared towards a bail-out to reinvigorate the sunken national economy; yet, the IMF prescriptions would not be devoid ostensibly of putting a lid on government expenditure and fiscal control as a mechanism for discipline on the part of the government. This portends that the seventy-two months employment freeze is not about abating albeit staff retrenchment and rationalization. Also, the possibility of a further payroll rationalization and job cuts cannot be ruled out. Many graduates from across the universities polytechnics and professional institutions have their fate hanged in the balance. Arguably, the so-called Youth Enterprise Support Fund (YESF) cannot be a solace and panacea in alleviating the plight of our youth since the energy supply situation under the watch of president Mahama appeared to be worsening by the day. The low investment in the power and energy sector by this government is a great disincentive and a counter-productive spectre militating against entrepreneurial efforts. Attempting to do the right thing at the wrong time. Mahama preaching virtues and practicing vices. A bad socio-politico and economical preacher man. A very bad influence for the Youth of Ghana! The African Youth Conservatives Dialogue, Ghana (TAYCD-GH) views this development as unhealthy and inimical for economic growth by a social democratic party and a danger to the security of the state since its ramifications are adversely devastative. Recent increases and resort to armed and violent crime across the nation by some youth and the seemingly unfettered sex trade (prostitution) including a growing child-labour menace are but just the tip of the ice berg. The internet scams or fraud, despicable ritual murders reported in the media by the day and the countless number of suicides are all symptoms of the inept and crass dysfunction of our economy inspite of our status as oil producing middle income country. The youth of Ghana are watching with keen interest and would act appropriately when necessary before the worse befell them. Emmanuel Attafuah-Danso Convener, The Africa Young Conservatives Dialogue, Ghana (TAYCD, GH) [email protected] 0208231667