Minister urges youth to protect peace and stability

Aburi (E/R), Aug. 15 GNA - Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo, Minister of Education and Sports on Monday advised the youth not to allow themselves to be used by people with ulterior motives to disturb the peace and stability of the country.

"Don't forget that Ghana is a role model of others and you, the young one's are those who can bring peace."

Mr. Osafo Maafo whose speech was read by Ms. Awurabena Ahwoi, Eastern Regional Director of Education was speaking at the opening of the third National Cadet Leadership Training Camp (NCLTC) 2005 for student cadets at Aburi, in the Eastern Region.

The two-week camping, which is being attended by over 200 cadets from all the ten regions, is aimed at inculcating in the youth the spirit of patriotism and leadership skills to enable them to respond to national disasters.

Schools taking part in this year's camping include, Prempeh College, Yaa Asantewaa Girls, Wesley Grammar Secondary School and Kumasi Girls Secondary School.

The rest are Oreilly Secondary School, Tema Secondary School, Nungua Secondary School and Nungua Presbyterian Secondary School. Mr. Osafo Maafo challenged the cadets to use their training and leadership skills that they would acquire during the programme to affect their peers in a positive way.

He said the government would do all it could to organise more of such programmes for the youth and student cadets on peace, stability and loyalty.

The Minister also said plans were underway to restructure the cadet corps programme under the Ministry of Education and Sports with the collaboration of the Ministries of Defence and the Interior as was done in most advance countries.

He said a team of officials from the Ministry and the Ghana Air Force last month went to the U.K to discuss the possibility of an exchange programme with the UK Air Force cadet corps.

He said the Ghana cadet corps and the UK Sea Cadets would on October this year, sign a memorandum of understanding as well as join the International Sea Cadet Association.

Mr Nicholas Nii Tettey-Amarteifio, National Cadet Coordinator said the objective for organising the leadership training camping for the youth and students cadets was to make them more patriotic and committed to the nation.

He said, the training was also aimed at improving upon their God given talent and to know how to achieve their goals.