The Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Osman Abdulai Ayariga, has called for greater inclusion of young people in decision-making processes, insisting that the youth must be given a direct voice in shaping policies that affect their lives.

Speaking at the National Youth Parliament Mock Sitting, Mr Ayariga said young people had for too long been the subject of discussions on issues such as unemployment, education, skills development, entrepreneurship and governance without being adequately represented in the rooms where decisions were made.

He said young people were not “citizens-in-waiting” but active participants in Ghana’s development who already contribute as students, workers, entrepreneurs, professionals, voters and community leaders. He therefore urged institutions to create meaningful opportunities for the youth to participate in governance and national discourse.

“Young people must not only be spoken about in rooms where decisions are made. Young people must be present in those rooms,” Mr Ayariga said.

He stressed that meaningful participation required more than simply giving young people platforms to speak, arguing that they must also be equipped with the knowledge, competence and confidence to contribute effectively.

“Do not come merely because you are young. Come because you have ideas. Come because you have studied the issues,” he said.