Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Osman Ayariga, has called for greater youth participation in decision-making on peace and security, insisting that young people must have a meaningful role in addressing challenges confronting Ghana and the West African sub-region.
He made the call at the ECOWAS Ministerial Consultation on Youth, Peace and Security in Accra on Tuesday, October 27, where he reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to strengthening the contribution of young people to peacebuilding and conflict prevention.
Mr Ayariga said young people should not be viewed merely as beneficiaries of peace and security policies but as active partners whose ideas, leadership and experiences could help prevent conflict and promote stability.
He said providing young people with opportunities to influence decisions affecting their communities would be critical to building lasting peace, particularly in a region facing security challenges that require cooperation among governments, institutions and citizens.
Mr Ayariga urged stakeholders to strengthen platforms for youth engagement and ensure that young people’s contributions translate into practical measures to advance peace, security and regional development.
