The National Peace Council has suggested strategic investment into creation of more sustainable jobs for the youth to protect the nation from insurgency being experienced in some West African countries.
“More than three democratically elected governments within the West Africa sub-region have been overthrown by military juntas since 2020, with the most recent one being Burkina Faso and there should be urgent measures to address public concerns,” it cautioned.
The Council stressed on the need for the labour front and youth unemployment to avert an insurgency to derail the progress, growth and socioeconomic development of the country.
George Amoh, Executive Secretary of the Council, suggested at a forum on ‘Consolidation of Peace in Ghana’, that the labour force was critical in consolidating peace in the country and the government should pay heed to concerns raised across the country.
“There is insurgency, terrorism and violent extremism around us in Burkina Faso, Togo, Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria, as a country, we must protect the peace, unity, stability, harmony, cohesion and we must work in realising the vision.
‘The government must address structural bottlenecks and create decent and sustainable jobs for the youth, if people do not have jobs, they are vulnerable and can be used by violent extremists to achieve their goals so let us get more youth employed to remove structural challenges.
“When we are able to do that we will create the environment for peace, unity, stability, harmony and cohesion and the media should also support and assist efforts of the Council, the government and all stakeholders to ensure the country’s security is consolidated,” Mr Amoh implored.
Dr Anthony Yaw Baah, Secretary General of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), assured that the Union would engage in peaceful negotiations to ensure the country experienced no war and admonished members of the Union across the country to contribute to consolidation of peace and stability in the country.
Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, the Representative of the Chief Imam on the Council, cautioned against young people without jobs which could be source of violence because they could be used to derail progress, growth and development of the country.