Ghana’s population is young and growing but the labour market is not able to absorb young graduates and non-graduates. Youth unemployment is increasing and many of our youth do not have the skills they need to compete in the job market. The youth employment agenda will focus on breaking into new frontiers of jobs, with higher-level skills that give young people a wide range of exportable services and skills.
The transformational economic agenda would create opportunities for wide range of knowledge-based jobs, for example in the research and development, and information technology industry. We will build on the success of past programmes such as Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programmes (STEP) and the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) to ensure that our young people have access to the opportunities they deserve.
Additionally the following programs will be embarked on to strengthen the positioning of our youth in our development agenda
1. NATIONAL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (NYDA)
2. National Youth Employment Programme
Sports
We currently face deteriorating standards in almost all areas of our sports. Poor management and lack of funding, primarily inhibit sports development and promotion in Ghana. In partnership with the private sector, we will provide stable investment in sports through a Sports Fund and establish sports colleges for academic and professional studies in sports. In schools and colleges we will invest in equipment, sports halls, modern pitches and multi-purpose courts, and identify and train and provide incentives for talented sportsmen to pursue higher education.
We will also increase spending on sports education to improve quality of our sports development. We will build on the achievement of the Kufuor Government and continue to build regional stadia in the remaining six regional capitals - Cape Coast, Ho, Sunyani, Wa, Bolgatanga and Koforidua. We will seek private public partnerships in executing this program where possible.
Women
The NPP is committed to the development and welfare of Ghanaian women. Though over 51% of Ghanaians are women, they face historical, social, political and cultural challenges. Currently, women account for less than 10% of people in public office, and only about 8% of Members of Parliament. We will introduce programmes that will encourage and bring women into the mainstream of economic and political activities.
We will reduce maternal and child morbidity and mortality through the revitalisation of the NHIS, Free Maternal Care and Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) and breathe life into good quality childcare facilities for nursing mothers at work places, markets and community centres in cities and towns. We will liberate women from such oppressive and discriminatory practices as ostracisation of witches in special villages and widowhood rites.We will encourage young girls to go to school, stay in school and open up science and mathematics education for girls at all levels of education by enforcing an affirmative action policy
Children
Our children are our greatest assets. Research shows that many of our children suffer the effects of poverty, inadequate access to food, safe drinking water, health and lack of quality education. Many are subjected to physical, emotional and sexual abuse. In many of our rural communities children with disabilities still suffer from neglect, denial of access to education and in extreme cases elimination by parents and the community.
We will place a considerable premium on the protection of children and their rights. We will support the work of implementing agencies to ensure that lead agencies, such as the police, are given the power and resources they need to combat abuse and trafficking, child labour and violence against children. We will also make sure that we rationalise and strengthen the practice of data collection and gathering, monitoring and evaluation in the relevant agencies.
We will additionally strengthen collaboration between agencies and step up education to change obsolete societal and community attitudes.
Arts & Culture
The Arts and Culture industry is a marginalised sector of the Ghana economy. This was evident in the lack of patronage and support from government as well as the little attention given to organizations operating in the sector.
We will increase budgetary allocations and needed support to the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Cultural affairs in order to,
•Preserve, sustain and integrate the traditional and cultural values as well as practices to accelerate wealth creation and harmony for total development.
•Support Traditional leaders who are the pivot of our culture and active catalysts in the moral transformation of our society, to be educated in governance
•Formulate a national vision and a unified plan for cultural development in consultation with the various cultural departments.
•Provide mechanisms for the development and promotion of culture, including infrastructure.
•Promote transparency in governance in Arts and Culture
Pensioners and the Aged
Our pensioners hold a special place in our country, having served many years in contributing to national development in various capacities. Many of our pensioners and the aged fall into the category of LEAP beneficiaries. We will revive the social protection programmes that the NDC has allowed to deteriorate and restore them from a depressed, inactive state. We will also enter into partnerships with pensioners’ associations to protect their welfare and enhance their living standards. Pensioners and the aged will be able to enjoy the exemptions they are entitled to from paying premiums under the NHIS and bus fare on the Metro Bus.
Persons with Disabilities
Building a society will be incomplete if our government fails to address the needs of the disabled or the physically challenged. An NPP government will actively encourage all disabled persons to aspire to become economically active and independent.
We will, in particular: Fast track the implementation of the law on building access for disabled. Building community based programmes that integrate persons with disability into their communities
