UN Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth to Visit Ghana

The UN Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth, Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake will pay a working visit to Ghana on Wednesday February 7 as part of her five country African tour.

According to statement by the UNFPA and copied to the GNA, Ms. Wickramanayake with her visit will be advocating for Africa to implement the AU Roadmap for Harnessing the Demographic Dividend as it is one of the key strategies to advance economic and social development.

The statement also added that she will be championing her message is; “Put Young People First.”

“During her visit, she would pay courtesy calls on both Minister of Youth and Sports as well as Gender, Children and Social Protection to deliberate on strategies to employ so as to implement the AU Roadmap for Harnessing the Demographic Dividend and the strategic roadmap of the President of the Republic of Ghana to enable Ghana be among the first of the African countries to fully harness a demographic dividend.

She will also meet with a cross section of youth in the evening of Wednesday 7 February 2018 for exchange of philosophies,” the statement read.

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, the President of the Republic of Ghana outlined broad strategies to be implemented at the level of the Presidency to guide the countries efforts in harnessing the demographic dividend.

He termed this “Strategic Roadmap for Harnessing Demographic Dividend in Ghana” when he launched it in December 2017 and urged every sector ministry to tap into his roadmap by developing sector action plans to take full advantage of the possibilities presented by the demographic dividend.

The President’s road map is built on four main pillars namely economy, education, health and good governance with each pillar projecting five key actions to be taken.

Ms. Wickramanayake as part of her programme line up will pay a working visit to the Agbogbloshie market where she would interact with a group of female adolescent head porters (Kayayei).

UNFPA believes that vulnerable groups including adolescent girls need special attention as Ghana stands to lose future leaders and innovators of tomorrow if any of these young people are left out due to current inequalities in national development.

Source: GNA