<<Print>>

Mr Kwesi Pratt Junior, a member of the Socialist Forum of Ghana, has kicked against the proposed 40 year national development plan, describing it as a fraud. Speaking at the Founder's Day forum to celebrate the 106th birthday of Dr Kwame Nkrumah in Accra, Mr Pratt, who is also the managing editor of the Insight newspaper, wondered how the national development plan could work, especially when the various political parties are having different ideologies. "If a national development plan would be able to serve every political party in the country, then there will be no need for election again", he said. He called for proper and thorough debate over the proposed 40 year national development plan, which is being carried out by the National Development Planning Commission. Mr Pratt said those who masterminded the overthrow of Dr Nkrumah had failed, as the world keep on celebrating his achievements. Speaking on the theme, Youth and Students in National Development, an Nkrumaist Perspective, Mr Prosper Dzitse, the President of the National Union of Ghana Students hailed the decision by Dr Nkrumah to give the youth the chance during his reign. He said Dr Nkrumah wanted to unite Africa with the youth at the centre and urged African leaders to keep the laudable dream alive. He bemoaned the situation where the large number of the youth are choosing partisanship over partnership, and abusing the social media in the name of politics. He said the youth is also prioritising entertainment over education and it is adversely affecting the continent, and urged the youth to take their education serious and accept volunteerism, adding that, a united youth can make a difference in helping to develop the continent. Mr Albie Walls of the All African People Revolutionary Party, said most of the youth in Africa and the diaspora are being manipulated without given any direction. He said it is important that African leaders gave chance to the youth by giving them support and developing them for the future. He said the youth should also be trained to develop critical thinking skills. Mr Walls urged African leaders to adopt the tried and tested socialist approach instead of capitalism, in their quest to develop the continent. He said the issue of gender is also important, adding that, women should be supported to take up key leadership roles. Dr Nasser Adams of the University of Ghana, said even though there is abundant natural resources in Africa, they have not been able to be effectively used to the advantage of the people, which is a clear manifestation of the deep intellectual crisis existing on the continent. He called for a critical look at the various academic disciplines to be able to salvage the situation. He was also unhappy with the situation where most universities have deviated from their mission statement and are running courses contrary to what they were supposed to do. Dr Nasser said Africa needed critical body of thinkers to salvage its current situation, with the bigger responsibility on higher institutions of learning. He called for the expansion of science and technology, as it is one of the surest ways of developing the Africa continent, adding that, Africa needed a new generation of political and intellectual youth with no loyalty to the existing theories, which has failed the continent. "Africa needs fearless and aggressive independent minded people to confront the status quo and the younger they are, the better," he added.