Bono NYA Director calls for intensified youth skills training to safeguard peace and security

Desmond Asaase, the Bono Regional Director of the National Youth Authority, has emphasized the need for increased skills training and engagement of young people in the region. He warned that unemployment and vulnerability could lead these young people towards violence, conflict, and other social issues. During the first day of the Bono Regional Youth Consultation on the Development of Ghana’s National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security, Asaase made this call in Sunyani.

The consultative meeting, attended by about 50 youth-led and youth-focused organizations, aimed to discuss issues affecting the youth and their role in promoting peace and security. Key challenges included chieftaincy disputes, violence, unemployment, and youth vulnerability, which could potentially draw young individuals into conflict and criminal activities.

Asaase stressed that the consultation sought to provide a platform for young people to openly discuss these issues and propose solutions. He emphasized that the concerns from the Bono Region would contribute to the formulation of Ghana’s National Action Plan on Youth, Peace and Security. Asaase urged participants not to shy away from expressing their challenges and vulnerabilities.

He warned that young people could be easily manipulated or recruited into violence due to their vulnerability. He highlighted that the NYA already has skills training programs, which need to be expanded to address these challenges. Asaase argued that productive engagements such as skills training could significantly reduce the exposure of young people to destructive tendencies.

He urged government, traditional authorities, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to prioritize youth empowerment as part of peace and security interventions.