The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and National Peace Council (NPC) have organised the fifth e-Youth Impact Series (YIS) in Accra as part of activities marking the 2020 International Peace Day.
The programme, which was on the theme, “Voices of the Youth for Peace-Role of the Youth in Shaping Peace in Ghana,” called on the youth to accelerate efforts toward achieving Sustainable Development Goal 16 for peace and justice to prevail and strengthen state institutions, adding that without peace, the achievement of other goals would be a mirage.
In a remark, the Deputy Director of Research, Monitoring and Evaluation of the NPA, Mr. Kojo Impraim, said injustice was a recipe to peace and social cohesion and cited bad governance, corruption, winner-takes-all, hate speech, unemployment, lack of confidence in state institutions and mistrust in political parties as some of the characteristics which may threaten peace in Ghana.
He, therefore, urged the youth to be mindful of what they say in the media to make peace prevail in the country and also work hard to build strong state institutions that could support Ghana’s economy and the political system to ensure social justice.
On her part, the Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Ghana, Ms Silke Hollander, called on young people to play a critical role to maintain peace before, during and after the 2020 general elections.
Ernest Appau, ISD
