The Upper East Regional Director of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Francis Takyi-Koranteng, has appealed to Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited (CNML) to prioritize the employment and training of young people from the Upper East Region to help address the growing challenge of youth unemployment.
According to him, while the establishment of the large-scale mining company in the Talensi District presents enormous opportunities for economic transformation, the benefits must be felt by the local population, particularly the youth.
Mr. Takyi-Koranteng made the call during a stakeholder engagement between the Talensi Youth Parliament and officials of Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited in the Talensi District.
He described the mining company as a blessing for the region, saying its operations have the potential to create jobs, stimulate local businesses and accelerate community development.
“Having a mining company like Cardinal Namdini in the region is a blessing for us. This means that with them, our youth would get employment. With them, our communities will be developed,” he stated.
The NYA Director, however, cautioned that the company must remain committed to its corporate social responsibility obligations, warning that failure to ensure local communities benefit from the mine could create discontent.
“Where corporate social responsibility is lacking, they don’t have the peace or the conducive environment they need to operate. Hungry youth will rise up and ask, ‘You are taking something from us, but you are not giving us anything in return. Where is our share?'” he said.
Mr. Takyi-Koranteng noted that the Upper East Region continues to grapple with numerous socio-economic challenges, including youth unemployment, chieftaincy, land and ethnic conflicts, as well as increasing cases of substance abuse.
According to him, unemployment leaves many young people vulnerable to crime and other social vices.
“The challenges facing us in the Upper East Region are numerous. We have conflicts, youth unemployment and substance abuse. Without jobs, the devil finds work for idle hands. Young people can easily be influenced to engage in crime and other negative activities,” he said.
He also expressed concern over the increasing abuse of drugs among the youth, linking it to reckless driving, road crashes, crime and the loss of productive lives.
Mr. Takyi-Koranteng urged Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited to invest in training local youth with the technical skills required by the company instead of relying heavily on workers from outside the region.
“We have a teeming unemployed youth population in this region. We are looking up to you to help us train the calibre of employees you need in the various areas of specialization and recruit them instead of looking for employees from outside,” he appealed.
He said such an approach would not only reduce unemployment but also strengthen the relationship between the company and its host communities.
The NYA Director further called for closer collaboration between the mining company, the Talensi Youth Parliament and the National Youth Authority to create sustainable livelihood opportunities for young people.
He stressed that creating employment opportunities locally would discourage the growing trend of youth migrating to southern Ghana in search of greener pastures.
“When you talk about manpower, it is the youth. When you talk about development ideas, it is the youth because they are inquisitive, curious, adventurous and ever ready. It is the youth who can support and drive development,” he added.
Mr. Takyi-Koranteng expressed optimism that stronger collaboration between the company, government institutions and community youth groups would help transform Talensi into one of the most developed districts in the Upper East Region while ensuring that the benefits of mining are shared equitably among local communities.
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