Youths Be Enthroned

A coordinated and concerted action towards accelerating youth empowerment and development is not farfetched on the African horizon. If the youths can energetically deliver political offices to older persons with great enthusiasm, what stops them from being dominant in such national duties rather than be recessive after mission well accomplished, such retardation is the most gruesome injury in nearly every African countries.

In July 2006, the African Union Heads and Government that met in Banjul, Gambia, endorsed the African Youth Charter (AYC) the task of building positive timelines. The Charter is the political and legal document which serves as the strategic framework that gives direction for youthful progression at continental, regional, and national stages, which it aim gives priority to youth development on the African Union’s development agenda.

At National level, there is full recognition of the pressing challenge and great opportunity of the youths, and most African countries are making due procedures, as reflected in the establishment of national youth parliaments and youth appointment in executive positions and consultation with young people on policies and programmes that affects life. At regional and continental level, Youth networks have been established including the Pan African Union to serve as channel for youth engagement and for conveying youth perspectives for integration into national, regional and continental policies, strategies and programmes.

The African Youth Charter defines youth as individuals aged 15 to 35. Therefore from the age of 18, youths should be allowed 40% active involvement in government and non- governmental organizations because already they are acquainted with the rules and regulations in Student Union Government in tertiary institutions and other non-academic By common sense; often in business ventures, each individual may either have the capital or the industrious idea, the idea involves human capital which requires critical review of study, analysis, and solution computation of the proposal to maximise profit or elevate social provisions, while on the other hand capital is fixed asset or in monetary terms. In this case, the youths can brainstorm trending innovations under the wise supervision of seasoned personnel to drive the economy and affairs of the country to greater heights, which the elder in their grey nature cannot fathom. Political party member cards should be purchased at very low cost and electoral forms for free to enable neutral participation not jaded by godfathers in order to liberate noble servitude and leadership structures.

Primary, secondary and tertiary institutions should be established basically for advanced development to reduce dependence on imported goods and services, if most African nations can produce these mechanical and electronic appliances we mostly purchase, will reduce importation to a fair extent and we can in turn sell among African countries as well as the developed continents if they have need of such inventions.

Skills acquisition centres should be better refurbished to train interested participants in vocational jobs that would provide basic raw materials and finished goods for national and foreign consumption. Planting and harvesting has become a monotonous occupation, most developed nations are growing their agricultural cash crops which leaves some African countries nothing or lesser products to export in near future which can stay some nations nowhere and totally dependent in science and technology category.

A policy should be pushed, from the ages of 5 to 18 years, the government pays a certain sum daily to an account in the child’s name, and for the youths likewise, all through their study years large amount enough to enable entrepreneurship after school, provisions should be made available that they can obtain loan from banks in partnership and under guaranty of the government. Vision maps should be created to link youth empowerment and development to national development goals and priorities as well as with instruments used for: setting standards, criteria and indicators.

The African youths should think of themselves as the successors to thrones and not always the stepping stool placed on the Dias for the elders to leisurely climb to seat all the time, for it has been said, when a child washes his or her hands clean, he or she is permitted to dine with the elders. Say no to being a toga of thugs to be brandished nonentities by greedy elder statesmen, youths should make themselves available as instrument of peace and epitome of modern prosperity.

With the question of ‘where are the human capitals?’ they abound in every nooks and cranny in Africa and the sojourning diaspora, they need to come en masse and move the continent forward. Well begun is half done, vision without action is docile, action without vision is groping, youth’s empowerment has forever been bandied about, real actions should be geared towards fleshing the developments. The mind is set; the will should be powered to utmost delivery to keep a nice pace in the rising global conglomerate. By the African youths; swivelling healthy positive goals for the elders and teenagers.