Bolgatanga: The Rural Initiatives for Self-Empowerment-Ghana (RISE-Ghana) and the Center for Democratic Development-Ghana (CDD-Ghana) have urged the youth to actively promote inclusive local governance to enhance accountability, social cohesion, and peace in northern Ghana.

According to Ghana News Agency, the call was made during the District Democracy and Governance Learning Youth Caf© Convening, held in Bolgatanga for 40 participants, including youth, women, political party representatives, and Assembly members, drawn from various communities in the Bawku West District. Similar convenings are scheduled to engage another 40 participants each from the Bongo and Garu Districts in the coming days.

The event, organised by RISE-Ghana in collaboration with CDD-Ghana, formed part of the project dubbed ‘Enhancing Social Cohesion and Social Contract through the Empowerment of Women and Youth in Northern Ghana,’ with funding support from the UN Peacebuilding Fund through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The Youth Caf© Convening, held under the theme: ‘Amplifying Youth and Women’s Voices for Inclusive Democratic Local Governance,’ aims to build the capacity of stakeholders to demand inclusive governance and promote social cohesion and accountability while building their resilience against violent extremism.

Alhaji Awal Ahmed Kariama, Executive Director of RISE-Ghana, said the initiative was designed to strengthen collaboration between community actors and local government institutions to improve citizen participation and service delivery. He emphasized the importance of participants implementing local actions to improve service quality.

He noted that the initiative was timely, aiming to build resilience among youth and community members amid emerging threats of violent extremism and declining public trust in governance. He highlighted the need for citizens to show interest in monitoring state services and ensuring adherence to development plans and social contracts.

Mr. John Muniru, Assistant Director at the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, praised RISE-Ghana and its partners for their efforts in promoting inclusive governance and citizen participation. He described the initiative as strategic, emphasizing the importance of informed and empowered citizen participation, particularly among youth and women.

He urged the youth to view governance as a shared responsibility, reminding them that inclusiveness is key and their voices matter in the democratic process.