Prioritise youth employment – TEIN, TESCON to NDC, NPP

The Tertiary Education Institutions Network (TEIN) from the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Tertiary Students' Confederacy Network (TESCON) from the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) have jointly urged their respective parties to prioritize youth employment. This appeal came during a workshop aimed at fostering political inclusion and consensus building, co-organized by the African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).

Both TEIN and TESCON pledged to maintain this dialogue beyond the workshop and explore activities that would foster trust, tolerance, and cooperation among young political leaders. They advocated for sustainable policies to increase economic opportunities, encourage entrepreneurship, enhance skills development, and tackle youth unemployment and underemployment.

Despite belonging to different political factions, the two networks emphasized their shared national identity as citizens of one nation under one Constitution. They vowed to view political opponents as fellow citizens and valued participants in democracy, steering clear of insults, character assassination, stereotyping, intimidation, and political violence in their debates.

The networks also committed to responsible communication via television, radio, and social media, emphasizing the importance of verifying information and rejecting misinformation and disinformation. On campus, they promised to hold peaceful, lawful, and credible elections, discouraging intimidation, electoral misconduct, and the use of unofficial security groups.

They pledged to protect university facilities and public property, respect the rule of law and institutional rules, and work together on shared interests such as environmental protection, community service, sanitation, and academic development.