The Adansi South District Assembly as part of its strategy to deepen youth participation in the local governance process has inaugurated a District Youth Parliament to engage young people who fall within the age bracket.
In collaboration with the National Youth Authority (NYA), the District Parliament will provide a single formalized youth platform for the youth to voice out their opinions, deliberate on matters of importance to youth development, and hold duty bearers accountable. The platform will also ensure that the youth are well mobilized for action on accountability, transparency and equitable society for all.
The inauguration ceremony which was part of this year’s celebration of the International Youth Day brought together youth groups, students’ representatives, chiefs, opinion leaders, political parties and the media at the District Assembly Hall in New Edubiase.
In a speech read on his behalf, the District Chief Executive of the Adansi South District, Honourable Francis Ankomah admonished the youth to champion the cause of youth participation forward, make the most of the opportunity given and serve as role model to the next generation. He called on the interim leaders of the parliament to uphold the principle of integrity, patriotism and discipline in all their endeavours.
Honourable Ankomah also promised that his outfit will provide leadership training to the members of the parliament to ensure grassroot participation in the District adding that every electoral area will be well represented.
Miss Philipa Frimpong who was elected as the speaker of the Parliament assured all stakeholders that the youth will always engage them to push the development agenda of the District. She thanked the NYA and the District Assembly for thinking through this novel project.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports through the National Youth Authority aims at establishing youth parliaments in all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) of the Region and this is geared towards providing the political space for the youth to participate effectively in the decision-making process in the various local government structures.
