Young people must be in rooms where decisions are made, not merely spoken about – NYA CEO

Osman Abdulai Ayariga, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), has urged for greater involvement of young people in decision-making processes. Speaking at the National Youth Parliament Mock Sitting, Ayariga stressed that young people should not merely be discussed but actively represented in the rooms where decisions are made.

He pointed out that for too long, the youth have been subjects of discussions on issues such as unemployment, education, skills development, entrepreneurship, and governance without meaningful representation. According to Ayariga, young people are not "citizens-in-waiting" but active contributors to Ghana’s development who actively participate as students, workers, entrepreneurs, professionals, voters, and community leaders.

He therefore called for the creation of opportunities for the youth to participate in governance and national discourse. Ayariga emphasized that meaningful participation requires more than just providing a platform for young people to speak. He argued that young people must be equipped with the necessary knowledge, competence, and confidence to contribute effectively.

Instead of simply attending meetings due to their age, Ayariga advised young people to participate because they have ideas and have studied the issues at hand.