Prioritise youth employment – TEIN, TESCON to NDC, NPP

The Tertiary Education Institutions Network (TEIN) of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Tertiary Students' Confederacy Network (TESCON) of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) have appealed to their respective political parties to make youth employment a priority and to complete all projects started by earlier governments when in power.

The appeal was contained in a joint communiqué issued in Tamale last Saturday following a workshop on Political Inclusion and Consensus Building: The Role of Political Parties and Parliament.

It was organised by the African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) with support from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).

They pledged to sustain the dialogue beyond the workshop and to explore joint activities that build trust, tolerance and cooperation among young political leaders.

The TEIN and TESCON encouraged their parties to adopt sustainable policies that expand economic opportunities, promote entrepreneurship, strengthen skills development and address unemployment and underemployment among young people.

They also proposed a national development plan that goes beyond party lines and sets shared long-term priorities to support policy consistency, continuity and sustainable progress.

The two tertiary student networks noted that they came from different political traditions and perspectives, but said their differences "do not make us enemies".

They described themselves as citizens of one nation under one Constitution, pointing to the civic responsibilities set out in Article 41 of the 1992 Constitution.

In the communiqué, they pledged to treat political opponents as fellow citizens and valued participants in democracy, and to keep debates focused on ideas and policies, steering clear of insults, character assassination, stereotyping, intimidation and political violence.

They also promised to communicate responsibly on television, radio and social media by verifying information and rejecting misinformation and disinformation.

On campus, they committed to peaceful, lawful and credible elections, discouraging intimidation, electoral misconduct and the use of unofficial security groups, while protecting university facilities and public property and respecting the rule of law and institutional rules.

Recognising that consensus does not require uniformity, they said they would work together on common interests such as environmental protection, community service, sanitation and academic development.

They pledged inclusive student leadership that serves all students fairly, regardless of political affiliation or electoral support.

They also committed to safeguarding academic freedom and the right to political participation, while upholding campus safety, fairness and university rules so that politics enriches teaching and learning.