Minister for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif has said his Ministry is set to launch the National Youth Volunteer Programme, which is targeted to benefit more 100,000 young men and women across the country.
According to him, the approach of his ministry is to achieve youth development through interventions that promote virtues such a creativity, innovation, self-reliance, leadership, Loyalty to country, civic responsibility, discipline, friendship and co-operation with other youth organizations in Africa and the world at large.
Mr. Ussif disclosed this when he addressing the media during a meet the press series in Accra on Monday.
He said youth programmes and activities being pursued by the Ministry of Youth and Sports have ensured that more than 2,000 young men and women have benefitted from formal skills training in the National Youth Authority’s Youth Leadership and Skills Training Institutes across the country.
The initiatives included the Skills Towards Employment & Productivity (STEP) Programme that have benefitted the youth.
Mr. Ussif further disclosed that, a substantive National Youth Policy has been approved by cabinet and ready to be launched.
Infrastructure
On infrastructure development, Mr. Ussif mentioned that, his Ministry has undertaken some developmental projects in the construction of Youth Resources Centres of which 10 are under construction in former regions and plans to develop some in six new regions.
He said his Ministry in collaboration with other agencies have put up about 90 Astro Turfs with some 30 currently ongoing.
The Ministry, he added, has also undertaken some refurbishment work at various stadia including; the Accra, Baba Yara, Cape Coast and Sekondi as well as the construction of 10 Youth Resource Centres.
“Facilities in Borteyman which is also a legacy project to be transformed into a university after the game as well as the refurbishment and scaling of the University of Ghana (UG) facility to host games, is well advanced”, he added.
Olympic games
Mr. Ussif stated that about 120 athletes from Ghana are expected to participate in the upcoming Olympic games to represent the country in various disciplines.
He said there is a retooling of the National Sports College currently ongoing to function as a global institution to provide training for technical officials for all sporting disciplines in the country.
Furthermore, the Minister mentioned that, 240 officials have been trained in sports management and administration since March, 2021.
Mr. Ussif seized the opportunity to list some international collaborations and celebrations that took place last year including the International Youth Day Celebration, Africa Youth Day Celebration, hosting of 4th Youth Connekt Africa Summit in October 2021 at the Accra International Conference Center AICC) with about 20,000 young people participating both virtually and in-person.
