The Africa Youth Network (AYONET) is gearing up to host all presidential aspirants in the forthcoming December elections in an open debate on October 2, 2012. Executive Director of AYONET Emmanuel Ansah-Amprofi told Adom News the presidential debates organized by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) is a great idea, but do not give the youth enough opportunity to hold the aspirants to issues of concern to the youth. He said Africa Youth Network would therefore create the platform at the National Theatre on October 2, 2012 for young Ghanaians to take on the presidential aspirants on their respective youth policies. “It will be live on TV, radio and on the internet and people who are not able to make it to the venue will still get the opportunity to ask questions via various social networks,” he said. Emmanuel Ansah-Amprofi explained that some of the major issues of concern to the youth are the non-enforcement of the Rent Control Act, the legal requirement that only persons from 21 years of age and above could register businesses, and the back and forth with the number of years of Senior High School. “These are issues of primary concern to us as young people but our leaders do not pay attention to them and they do not engage us to know what our expectations are on these matters,” he said. Emmanuel Ansah-Amprofi noted even though the Rent Control Act insist on landlords charging monthly rent, landlords usually demand five years advance from young people who have just completed school and want to start a new business. He also noted that the insistence of the law that anybody below the age of 21 cannot register a business in his or her name is very unfriendly to the youth because “we allow 18-year olds to vote and elect national leaders, but the law does not allow them to own a business.” “It is also about time we make up our minds on how many years of SHS we want to have in this country because our politicians keep going back and forth and that is not good for the future of this country. Emmanuel Ansah-Amprofi observed that at the end of this academic year, two stream of SHS final year students would be writing their final exams, meanwhile the universities and polytechnics cannot accommodate graduates from even one stream “so what happens to the huge number of young people who would be left out.” Meanwhile the AYONET, in collaboration with 54 Kingdoms have launched the maiden edition of the Ghana Youth Awards to reward youth excellence in 16 categories, and to showcase youth achievers as role models. Emmanuel Ansah-Amprofi told Adom News so far 182 young Ghanaians doing great things in various sectors have made entries, which would be scrutinized by a panel of professionals ahead of the awards night slated for November, 2012. The categories include Youth in Entrepreneurship, Youth in Agriculture, Youth in Community Service/Volunteerism, Youth in Sports and Physical Activity, Youth in Education, Youth in Science and Technology, Youth in Music, Arts and Culture and Youth in Trade. The rest are Youth in Tourism, Youth in Environment, Youth in Media, Youth in Leadership, Youth in Advocacy, Youth in Healthcare, Youth in Special Circumstances (commonly known as youth with disabilities); and finally the Youth Personality of the Year, which is the flagship award. There would also be a special group awards for a private sector organization supporting youth development; media organization supporting youth development and youth organization in community service. The award is limited to persons aged between 15 and 35 years, and winners would be determined by 60% public vote via SMS and online, and 40% judging panel votes. Sponsors for the awards include Arik Air, Ghana Think Foundation, Pepsi, Phase II Limited, Planlt Ghana, and Yaasom Multimedia.