A groundswell of advocacy is emerging from Ghana’s Upper East Region, where youth leaders are urging lawmakers to amend the National Peace Council Act to secure formal youth representation at the national level.
The demand comes amid rising consensus that sustainable peacebuilding must reflect Ghana’s youthful demographic and empower young people as central actors in national security policy.
The call gained momentum during a two-day consultation in Bolgatanga, where youth, community stakeholders, security agencies, and civil society organisations gathered to contribute to Ghana’s National Action Plan (NAP) on Youth, Peace, and Security. The event, organised by the National Youth Authority (NYA) with support from international and national partners, offered young people a platform to share their experiences, propose policy reforms, and advocate for a more inclusive peace governance structure.
While youth are present on local peace committees, participants noted that the absence of a statutory guarantee for their representation at the national level leaves their influence subject to goodwill rather than law. They argued that codifying youth participation in the National Peace Council would elevate their role from symbolic presence to institutional accountability, ensuring their voices help shape crucial peace and security decisions.
Discussions drew on United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250, which recognises youth as vital agents in conflict prevention and peacebuilding. With one in four young people worldwide living in or affected by conflict, participants emphasized the urgency of embedding youth voices in peace structures at every level.
Francis Takyi-Koranteng, Upper East Regional Director of the NYA, highlighted that young Ghanaians have long been marginalised or unfairly stereotyped as sources of instability. He stressed that, with Ghana’s large youthful population, inclusion is not optional but essential, and the quality of engagement at the consultation demonstrated young people’s readiness to contribute meaningfully to national peace frameworks.
UNDP officials commended the consultative process for fostering genuine dialogue and co-creation, moving youth engagement from tokenistic to transformative. They noted that legal backing for youth representation would reinforce the legitimacy and resilience of Ghana’s peace architecture.
The Upper East engagement is part of a nationwide effort to craft a National Action Plan that taps into youth creativity and leadership for peaceful, inclusive development. Stakeholders agreed that amending the National Peace Council Act to guarantee youth representation would build trust, accountability, and long-term stability.
As Ghana advances its Youth, Peace, and Security agenda, the message from Bolgatanga is clear: young people are not just beneficiaries of peace, they are vital partners whose place at the national table must be protected by law.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
