By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Dr Zanetor Dzifa Agyeman-Rawlings, Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey and Chairperson of Parliament’s Select Committee on Security and Intelligence, has urged Ghanaian youth to safeguard the nation’s peace and not take it for granted.
Speaking at the National Youth Conference organised by the National Youth Authority at Gomoa Fetteh in the Central Region, Dr Agyeman-Rawlings said peace was the foundation of Ghana’s stability and prosperity, stressing that many young people had little knowledge of what it meant to live in a country ravaged by war.
“You are in Ghana today, and I can assure you, you have no idea what it means to be in a country where there is war. Let us not take it for granted,” she said.
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings noted that Ghana’s peace had enabled citizens from diverse ethnic and regional backgrounds to coexist and work together in harmony. She described the country’s diversity as a source of strength and progress, saying it must be harnessed to ensure Ghana remained the “shining Black Star of the continent.”
The legislator also cautioned the youth against divisive rhetoric from politicians, religious leaders, traditional rulers or academics, stressing that reckless statements had the potential to destroy the country’s unity and derail the dreams of the younger generation.
“Do not allow people making reckless statements to lead you into disrupting a potential future that you have. Not a politician, not a traditional leader, not a religious leader, not even an academic should take that away from you,” she advised.
She called on the youth to uphold patriotism, law-abiding behaviour and collective responsibility in order to preserve the peace that Ghana has enjoyed over the decades.
The conference brought together young leaders and stakeholders in youth development to deliberate on issues of national unity, peace and the role of young people in shaping Ghana’s future.
