Strengthening party-govt relations; Sports Minister visits NPP headquarters

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, has paid a visit to the National Headquarters of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) as part of efforts to strengthen the link between the government and the party.

It also forms part of the initiatives to bridge the gap between government appointees and party officers in the party's quest to mobilise its rank and file for a third consecutive electoral victory in 2024 and to “break the eight” as the popular mantra goes.

During the interactions, Mr Ussif said nearly 75 per cent of the country's 31.8 million population fell within the youthful bracket, which fuelled government's commitment to implement several youth-centred interventions.

Interventions

He mentioned that interventions such as YouStart, Green Ghana, various modules of the Youth Employment Agency and the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) had led to employment, training, capacity building and the provision of financial support to the country's youth.

The Youth and Sports Minister, therefore, encouraged the party to liaise with the appropriate government officials and agencies supervising these youth- centred interventions to ensure their success.

Mr Ussif further encouraged the party to emulate the youth structures of South Africa's ruling African National Congress which, he said, had been crucial to the party's long stay in power.

Way forward

The General Secretary of the Party, Justin Frimpong Kodua, who received the minister on behalf of party headquarters, reiterated the point that this initiative of holding regular party-government meetings would be replicated across the country, particularly in the regional capitals.

That, he said, was to provide a platform for government appointees, particularly ministers of state and chief executive officers (CEOs) to interact with party officers and grassroots.

Other appointees are expected to have their turn in the coming weeks.