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Deputy of the constituency of Medina, Francis-Xavier Sosu
Human rights activist and MP for Medina constituency Francis-Xavier Sosu called on Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to create some 252,000,000 jobs by 2035 in the ECOWAS region.
The demand follows instabilities in African sub-regions caused by some Islamic militant groups.
According to the deputy, the instabilities, persecutions, conflicts, violence among others experienced in the sub-region could be repressed if African leaders created jobs for young people in order to deter terrorism.
Read the full article written by himself below:
Following the jihadist attack last Wednesday in northern Burkina Faso which left at least 80 dead, the feeling of insecurity is increasing daily in the sub-region. The latest attack in the Sahel region of Burkina Faso is linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group operating along the borders with Niger and Mali. This attack gives the impression that the activities of terrorist actors have an interdependent position which makes their operations interconnected and no guaranteed peace for any country.
The attacks in Burkina Faso have killed at least 132 civilians and resulted in the forced displacement of nearly 800 out of thousands, adding to the global displacement of millions of civilians since 2018. As a result, the comparison is unfavorable. from 1% of the world’s population – or 1 in 95 people – forcibly displaced civilians at the end of December 2020 to 1 in 159 in 2010. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), global forced displacement at the end of 2019 was estimated at 79.5 million, rising to 82.4 million by the end of 2020, as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or events seriously disturbing public order. These estimates leave citizens with growing concern about the measures subregional (responsible) leaders are putting in place to ensure the security of the vulnerable region.
The displacement of people following the escalation of Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria and parts of Cameroon, associated with the resumption of fighting in the Central African Republic, violent conflicts in DR Congo, famine and insecurity food in South Sudan, clashes and insurgencies in Somalia and the North Chad, as well as Africa’s twin challenges of youth unemployment and economic hardship, make Africa a fertile ground for terrorist activities and, therefore, a risk of terrorist attacks.
According to the African Development Bank (AfDB) report on Youth Employment in Africa: Catalyzing Youth Opportunities Across Africa, out of nearly 420 million young Africans aged 15-35, a third are unemployed and discouraged, another third is in vulnerable employment, and only one in six is employed. As a result, 263 million young people will have no economic interest in the system by 2025. There is therefore a need for African leaders and ECOWAS leaders, in particular, to be creative and active, as 90% of Young Africans live in low and lower middle income countries, the biggest challenge being the lack of formal jobs.
This disturbing report reinforces the need for regional and sub-regional leaders to be on high alert and ensure peace and economic transformation, primarily access to economic opportunities as quickly as possible, as this is essential for ensure that the objectives set in Agenda 2063 are achieved.
President Akufo Addo as President of ECOWAS must leave a legacy by being transformational and lead efforts to create 18 million jobs each year until 2035, to welcome new entrants into the labor market, as this in more investing in modern technology with refined human resources that value peace monitoring the activities of terrorist groups and networks will go a long way in keeping their activities at bay. It’s time to act.
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