Youth urged to play active role in local governance

Participants at the workshop

The Executive Director of the Mother of All Nations Founda­tion, Mr Ishaq Abubakar Zico Newman, has called on the youth to play a more active role in local governance, stressing the importance of their participation in shaping the nation’s future.

He said “local governance is where our voice can have the most immedi­ate impact. When we understand how our local assemblies work then we can have the power to effect change at the grassroots level.”

Mr Newman said this in Accra last Thursday at a Community-Based Civic Engagement Training.

The training was aimed at whipping the interest of the youth to influence the future of their communities and the country at large.

It was organised in collaboration with the Center for Democratic De­velopment (CDD) Ghana and brought together youth from various commu­nities to learn how to effectively par­ticipate in governance and influence policies.

According to Mr Newman the youth represents over 38 per cent of the population, with many of them not involved in crucial democratic processes such as voting and local governance.

Participants were encouraged to lever­age social media plat­forms such as Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok to raise awareness on governance issues and demand accountability from local and nation­al leaders.

He said social media serves as a powerful tool for amplifying community concerns, noting that even a single post can spark conversations and drive action on issues like education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Mr Zico Newman stressed that “real change often starts at the grassroots level, where youth participation can have an immediate impact. Young people are the backbone of our na­tion’s development. When we par­ticipate in governance, we have the power to shape policies, hold leaders accountable, and demand the change we want to see.”

A Research Fellow at Local Govern­ment, Dr Charity Dzradosi, explained that local government was crucial for fostering development and ensuring democratic processes that benefit all citizens.

“Local governance brings govern­ment closer to the people and ensures that essential public services are delivered to residents in real time,” she stated.

She urged communities to support their Assembly Members rather than overburden them with issues.

“Assembly Members are vital in en­suring that development reaches ev­ery corner of our localities, but they can only succeed with the support and engagement of the people they represent,”Dr Dzradosi stressed.

A communication expert from CDD, Mr Daniel K. Selormey, on his part urged community leaders to harness the power of social media for effec­tive local advocacy and highlighted how digital platforms can significantly enhance local governance and com­munity engagement.

 By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu