Sammi Awuku, NPP National Organiser
The National Organiser of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sammi Awuku, has stated that the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), former President John Dramani Mahama, remains Ghana’s biggest obstacle to youth development in the country.
According to him, Mr Mahama’s anti-development policies retrogress youth advancement in the country.
“Mr Mahama remains the biggest obstacle to the advancement of our youth development. In 2008, the NDC did promise that they will legalize galamsey activities, so there was a mad rush for people to go into that venture, yet the government at the time stayed aloof. They did not regulate these activities, and this led to the pollution of our environment,” he noted.
Okada
Speaking on Citi TV’s Point of View, Mr Awuku also slammed the NDC leader for his ‘okada’ manifesto promise.
He wondered how Mr Mahama, under whose tenure the ‘okada’ business was criminalised, would now turn round to promise decriminalising same.
“The NDC under Mr Mahama, for the avoidance of doubt, declared ‘okada’ business illegal. It was under him (Mr Mahama). So now, is it one of the mistakes he wants to come and correct?” he queried.
Foresightedness
On the contrary, Mr Awuku says the governing NPP, under Akufo-Addo’s government, is introducing policies that will not put the lives of the youth at risk.
“Our plan is not to put lives on the streets and put them at risk. If we need to support these young ones, we surely will,” he said, calling on Ghanaians to vote ‘four more for Nana’ in the December 7 general election to maintain the NPP government in power.
Role of youth
Mr Awuku further stated that the the survival of a political party rests on how the party treats its youth.
According to him, respecting the youth and treating them right is the only way that leaders of political parties can win their loyalty within their fold and also attract others to join them.
He therefore urged leadership of the various political parties to embrace the youth, saying the youth can be constructive and at the same time destructive, depending on how they are treated.
“The youth must find you as sympathetic ally and must find in you a trusted companion. So that is how you are able to bring people from the other side who do not necessarily belong to your party to campaign for your candidate and cast their vote for your candidate,” he said.
Thinking like youth
Using himself as an example, Mr Awuku said because he ‘graduated’ from a youth organiser to become a national organiser, “anytime a decision will have to be made, I don’t think just like NPP, but I also think about the young people as well.”
He added: “And for every political party, your survival depends on the youth of your country because they can be reliable and also unreliable.”
About The Author
