Remarks by Mr. Sylvester Tetteh, CEO of NYA to the Youth During the Peace Dialogue Session and Signing of the Youth Peace Charter on 31st October, 2020

It is my pleasure to join you as part of a great week of activities marking the observance of this year’s (2020) Africa Youth Day.

This year’s celebration is being commemorated in the midst of a global pandemic, never experienced by the multitude of youth across the continent. This novel pandemic, has impacted so many youthful lives in ways never imagined. In spite of the current situation however, the excitement, energy and resourcefulness of the youth, mainly here in Ghana remains steadfast, and this must be tapped and positively utilized for the nation’s benefit.

We cannot let the pandemic take the better of us and thus we need to focus on the youth and pay greater attention to their needs especially on such a day as the African Youth Day.

Distinguished guests, this year, 2020, also gives us an opportunity to strengthen our enviable credentials as a model of democratic rule, and representative government here on the African Continent as we go to the polls. This is one other reason why I am delighted about the local theme, “A peaceful Ghana: Rhetoric, Realities and the Youth Factor” drawn from the continental theme "Youth Voices, Actions, Engagement: Building a Better Africa" and tailored to suit and reflect the times as an election year.

I welcome this theme as very significant since it affords us a unique opportunity to take stock and renew our collective commitment to build strengthen and sustain the peace we currently enjoy.

I also salute your high level of participation during the process of developing, validating, today’s signing and tomorrow’s subsequent declaration of the Youth Peace Charter, at such a key period when tensions seem high, with certain places around the country already marked as flash points for this year’s elections. Let me at this point state the Authority’s utter disdain for the recent clashes at Odododiodio by supporters of the NPP and NDC. Such repulsive and intolerable conduct must not be condoned. The Authority unequivocally condemns it and calls on the police to expedite investigations and speedily bring the perpetrators to book.

The Peace Charter declaration, will not only send a clear message pledging to work to consolidate and sustain our peace, but will also stress that while Government is primarily responsible to peace building and sustaining peace, we can all contribute to build peaceful and resilient societies, and this, to me is highly commendable.

Twenty Eight (28) years on, into the 4th republic, it is time to look at progress and forge a common path ahead and the NYA stands ready and committed to this. To set Ghana on the track to economic development, the foundations of sustainable peace must be laid and I hope that the activities of this year’s event will garner the needed momentum to implement the provisions of the charter towards sustaining peace before, during and after the general elections.

Our cherished youth, the crux of my message to you this day, is the need to enhance the coherence of our country. To achieve this, we need to strengthen partnerships in all our efforts and at every stage along the peace continuum, from conflict prevention and resolution to peace building and ultimately sustainable development.

Undeniably, you-- the youth, have an important role to play in ensuring peace and security. The National Youth Authority, under the Ministry of Youth and Sports is committed to putting you in charge of this role, and to benefit from your knowledge, ideas and initiatives.

Distinguished guests, the NYA has focused on peace building as a priority for this year’s commemoration in that, we are mindful that young people are usually a dominant group among those that perpetuate violence, and this regrettably, has led to some regarding young people as a threat to the peace of our country.

We however believe, that on the contrary, young people can be strong and active players in creating peaceful societies, free from violence and conflict, whilst possessing the potential to be valuable “innovators of positive change”. The adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security in December 2015 goes to buttress our position.

Through our Model Youth Parliaments, the Authority shall continue to support the meaningful participation of the country’s youth in decision making. We shall also continue to work more closely with the youth through the Ghana Youth Federation which is scheduled to be launched, thereby safeguarding their abilities to lead in achieving the SDGs of 2030 and the AU agenda 2063 “the Africa we want”.

Through the pandemic, it has become clear that young people are irrepressible and resourceful and given the required support, they can be meaningfully engaged.

On this basis we pledge to continue to work together with you—the youth, to build and sustain our country’s peace.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ATTENTION AND HAPPY CELEBRATIONS!!!