It is not a subject of controversy that the youth segment of the population of any society constitutes a critical human resource base today and the future of society tomorrow.
The youth abound in energy which, when effectively tapped and properly channelled, has the potential to transform the fortunes of society.
The youth also form the most agile, dynamic and versatile age group with the most fertile minds to adapt, create and innovate and so they are in a better position to help in the positive transformation of society.
The real issue, then, has been how to mould and orientate them not only to imbibe the positive values of society but also be at the centre of the acquisition of the knowledge and skills that rule the world today.
The educational system has served fundamentally to train and mould the character, behaviour and attitude of our youth and also equip them with the relevant skills to enable them to secure jobs to better their lot and contribute their quota to national development
For many years now, we have noted with alarm an increasing trend among a good number of our youth who indulge in acts which are frowned upon or rejected outright by our society.
These have ranged from the manipulation of the Internet for criminal purposes, unauthorised, misconceived and misdirected demonstrations that have resulted in the destruction of lives and property, to the perpetration of outright criminal acts such as robbery.
It is once again a sad spectacle to read that two very young students of a second-cycle educational institution in the capital have been remanded in custody for having the impudence allegedly to stage a day-light robbery at Dzorwulu, during which their victim was subjected to abuse, degrading and inhuman treatment and punishment.
We feel pain and anguish anytime a young person is brought before the law accused of indulging in serious criminal activity such as robbery.
Not only are the personal lives of such young people wasted in jails in the event that they are found guilty for committing those crimes but also the benefits that society could have reaped from tapping their knowledge, talents and expertise are lost.
We admonish our youth to realise that we are fast moving in a knowledge and skilled world where indolence and mediocrity will condemn them to unemployment and poverty, for which reason they ought to avail themselves of the existence of an array of knowledge and skills acquisition programmes that will empower them to create jobs for themselves and even become employers themselves.
The existence of many modules of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP), the Local Enterprises and Skills Development Programme( LESDEP), the Youth in Agriculture and Oil and Gas, etc, where training in the skills needed to acquire or create jobs for life is offered free of charge, along with equipment, leaves no excuse for the youth to indulge in criminal acts on account of idleness.
We urge all stakeholders in our youth development, including the government, educational institutions, religious organisations, chiefs, etc, to join hands to properly place our youth to meet the challenges of the coming decades as the world gets more complex.