Gomoa Fetteh (C/R), Nov. 6, GNA - The Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport, Mr Reuben Nii Nortey Dua, has said the youth needed to be adequately prepared to meet future challenges.
He said this in a speech read for him by Dr Sekou Nkrumah, Acting National Youth Council Coordinator, at the opening of the fifth Scout Youth Forum being organised by Ghana Scout Association at Gomoa Fetteh.
The programme is to create a platform for the youth to discuss issues that affect their livelihood, come out with suggestions and present them at the 14th African Scout Conference that had been scheduled to take place in Accra on November 9-12 2009.
The forum is under the theme "Empowering Young Lives, Creating a Better World"
Delegations from 37 African countries and observers from U.S.A, Japan, Brazil, Hong Kong, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands, France and United Kingdom and some guests from the World Scout Committee, the World Scout Bureau and the Africa Scout Committee are attending the forum.
They would also attend the conference.
The Deputy Minister commended the Ghana Scout Association for promoting and instilling values in Ghanaian youth to help them develop the required knowledge, skills and attitudes that would make them responsible and self reliant.
Nii Nortey Dua appealed to the Scout Movement to continue to nurture and educate the youth to be responsible.
Mr Paul Musembi from Kenya, President of the Africa Scout Youth Committee, said the youth have faced much social and environmental degradation across the sub-region from the disastrous effects of climate change.
Nana Abor Yamoah II, Chief of Gomoa Fetteh and Twafohen, Gomoa Akyempim Traditional Area who chaired the programme, appealed to members of the Scout Movement to let the spirit of volunteerism and good leadership building to be their hallmark.
He appealed to the youth to desist from drug use and other anti-social vices because they were against the aims and objectives of the founder of the Scout Movement, Lord Baiden Powell.
Among topic to being treated at the forum include volunteerism and leadership, drug abuse, child trafficking, youth involvement in decision making and environment.
GNA
