‘Youth Must Hold Politicians Accountable’
Prof. Justice Nyigmah Bawole
University of Ghana’s Dean of Graduate Business School, Prof. Justice Nyigmah Bawole, has encouraged the country’s youth to hold political parties responsible for the contents of their manifestos.
Speaking at the Youth Analysis of the 2024 Manifesto event held in Accra, Prof. Bawole said that with Ghana’s youth population forming the bulk of the country’s population, it is imperative for them to constantly hold politicians accountable whenever the matter of youth empowerment is under discussion.
He said that examining three political party manifestos—the New Patriotic Party (NPP), National Democratic Congress (NDC), and Movement For Change—with a focus on the two major frameworks—the African Vision and the Ghanaian Vision for young people—it was discovered that the policies are in line with the advocacy of these frameworks.
Prof. Bawole further stated that upon assessing whether these policies resonate with youth aspirations, “Our analysis indicated that the mechanisms in place align with the interests and expressions of the youth. Nevertheless, a historical analysis reveals that this is not the first time we have encountered such promises. Political parties have previously presented manifestos outlining their intentions.”
“This leads me to ask: when political parties propose initiatives, they claim they will implement—especially those who have served in government before—why have these commitments not been fulfilled in the past?” he quizzed.
Prof. Bawole added that while there may be reasons behind these shortcomings, it is essential to consider whether these reasons inform the promises being made today, saying, “If we were unable to achieve certain goals in the past, we must question whether these manifestos offer viable solutions to the challenges that have historically hindered a positive youth outlook in Ghana.”
He added that while there is a strong emphasis on what political parties intend to do in the manifesto, there is a noticeable lack of discussion regarding the challenges they have faced previously and the potential barriers to achieving their current promises.
“This is a crucial point for you the young ones to raise when engaging with political parties. It is vital that we hold political leaders accountable for their words and ensure that their proposed solutions are grounded in a realistic assessment of past experiences and current challenges,” he said.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke
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