Youth Parliament are newly developing phenomena where youth supporters of political parties construct sheds, most often with support from their parties, that are supposed to serve as bases for the youth to meet and discuss party issues.
As political activities heat up in the last few weeks to the December 7general election, the parties are beginning to revamp these "parliaments" by giving some face-lift to existing ones and constructing new ones. Parties are busy shaping and nailing broken wood and painting of party colors and symbols on these structures.
Conspicuously in the last elections were the National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP), Peoples National Convention (PNC) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP). During this political season, more have sprung up possibly as a result of the faith the youth have kept with their parties.
So, as one walks a distance of less than a kilometer or two in most northern towns and villages, youth parliaments are visible everywhere. With the upsurge of new parties such the Progressive People's Party (PPP), the United Renaissance, Party (URP), and the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) among others, and as more constituencies are being created, more market is created for the wood industry as more youth parliaments are bound to spring up.
The interesting thing about these youth parliaments in this period of campaign is that the youth live in close proximity in the communities, but from different traditional homes and towns. This means that even if one lives in the Zongos, a youth parliament located there is likely to have their constituents from different traditional backgrounds. What the youth sit there in their numbers to do and what transpires between them should be a matter of interest for all Ghanaians during this campaign season.
The process of democratization itself creates problems with which communities must grapple. As the youth identify themselves with parties, rivalry is being stimulated. Some opinions this writer has gathered is that some of these youth parliaments are too close for comfort ,as they are perched so close to each other. A visit to some of the Youth Parliaments by this writer also revealed that the occupants of the sheds go to sit there to socialize.
While some engage in playing “oware” others simply have a nap. Most of them are unemployed and therefore spend longer hours sitting there. According to Dr Ken Peligba of the University for Development Studies (UDS), some of these youth parliaments could promote hooliganism if care was not taken. Asked as to what they sometimes discussed, Mr Raymond Agarey, a carpenter at one of the sheds belonging to the NPP in the Bolgatanga township in the Upper East region, said they discussed how to bring more people to join the party.
Interestingly, however, all occupants of the two party sheds interviewed had no idea what their various party manifestoes promoted. Another phenomenon developing is the sale of party paraphernalia in these sheds that seems to serve as a temporary source of employment for those who trade in these party symbols.
Electoral Accountability
It is without argument that the involvement of the citizenry in the promotion of good governance should be a matter of concern as all prepare to vote in the coming elections, because development is a shared responsibility involving government, local authorities and communities. So as a Ghanaian, how you are involved in key development matters should be crucial to all.
Politics is not about bloodshed that would send women and children running from their birth places for shelter in an environment they may not be familiar with and may not want to live in. The party that wins the 2012 election should be aware that it will be held accountable for its stewardship, particularly in addressing the needs of the vulnerable and less privileged. There are common aspirations among these teeming youth: jobs, education, and hope for the future, andthese should be addressed by the parties for which they are dying now.
There are communities that wished they could be provided with water, roads, electricity and other social amenities that exist in urban cities, but they look on helplessly as they get disappointed over slow pace of development or no development at all in their areas. For those, it is time to let the thumb decide.
The youth have to take a strong stand and let their thumbs decide which party they prefer to manage the affairs of this country. The NPP’s promise of free SHS strongly assures Ghanaians of "transforming lives, transforming Ghana, building a free fair and prosperous society". Therefore that party thinks it should be given the mandate. The CPP's focus on free compulsory and quality education from the basic to tertiary, and more support for women to improve on their livelihoods should also let women begin to sit up and scrutinize these policies.
The NDC in launching of its manifesto assured Ghanaians of advancing the Better Ghana Agenda and making more investment in the people irrespective of gender, ethnicity or political lineage. The PPP is saddened by high unemployment in the country and has assured Ghanaians it will create Jobs and build the capacity of the private sector.
The question about total development of the country's youth who have remained steadfast and made so much sacrifices to bring parties to power remains unanswered. During this season of campaigns there is the need for more attention to be focussed on peaceful elections, especially as the parties drum home messages through their manifestoes for Ghanaians to make informed choices.
The youth need to understand that as they play an important role in the affairs of their parties, they should help to interpret their manifestoes to convince people to join their respective parties. They should avoid engaging in arguments that have the potential to endanger their lives since they need their lives to make their parties what they want them to be. It is said political parties will come and go but Ghana will always be there.
The display of their commitment to the parties they belong to is good but where it is combined with drinking and riding motorbikes carelessly at top speed to endanger their own lives and the lives of others when their leaders visit the communities to campaign, is a habit every Ghanaian must jointly condemn in no uncertain terms.
Politics should be a peaceful intellectual form of war Ghanaians have to embark on to bring development to the country, but at this time the atmosphere is charged with tension. And in times like this the electorate become important to every politician because their participation in the electoral process as voters is very crucial in conferring power on one of the contesting candidates who intend to govern the country.
This is the power the youth, as part of the electorate, have at their disposal to ensure their dreams for a future devoid of joblessness and frustration become a reality. Indeed, each and every citizen of this country has an aspiration and this should be translated into a political preference that should help them make an intelligent choice among the various Presidential and Parliamentary candidates paraded before us now. Let Your Thumb Speak!