The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has held a workshop for member states to provide interactive exchanges between representatives of member states and the youth on youth empowerment initiatives towards conflict resolution.
The event which was held at the Coconut Groove Regency Hotels in Accra afford members the opportunity to access their achievements and weaknesses towards conflict fight.
The Head of Drug Control and Civil Society of the ECOWAS Commission, Madam Hajiya Rahemaat Momodu who spoke at the opening of the two-day ECOWAS youth engagement workshop in Accra, Thursday on the theme: “Member States Engagement with Youth on Conflict Transformation in West Africa”, Madam Momodu lauded the youth in the sub-region for their contributions toward the development of the region.
She averred that the youth must be encouraged to carry their energies into constructive activities which will inure to greater development, enhance national cohesion and strengthen society’s resilience against conflicts.
She averred that the youth of today must not to see themselves as leaders of tomorrow, since they are already leaders of today.
She enumerated that majority of the youth in West Africa most at times give themselves the chance to be used by politicians, terrorists and criminal networks for destabilisation purposes which will only bring to those politicians personal gains.
Madam Momodu said ECOWAS states governments and leaders must invest enormously in agriculture so as to make agriculture attractive and reduce unemployment.
On his part, Mr Constant C. Gnacadja, the Programme Officer on Conflict Prevention, Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security of ECOWAS, touched on issues bothering on the youth stressing they were of high importance to West Africa’s peace and stability and called on ECOWAS as an organisation to continue to invest in the youth in its member states.
By PROSPER AGBENYEGA
http://www.ghananews247.com/2018/10/05/ecowas-states-meet-on-conflict-transformation-in-accra/