Kwame Junior Asiemoah, popularly known as JAK-UP, has proposed the establishment of a Youth Opportunity Centre in the Volta Region as part of his plans to create greater access to jobs, scholarships and skills development opportunities for young people.

The proposal forms part of a six-pillar manifesto unveiled by JAK-UP in Ho as he formally entered the race for the position of Volta Regional Youth Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

According to him, the proposed centre would help move young people away from a system where access to opportunities is largely dependent on personal connections.

He argued that young people seeking employment, scholarships or opportunities to develop their skills should have a dedicated platform through which they can identify and access such opportunities.

“Today, before you get an NSS posting, it is about who you know. If you want a job opportunity, it’s about who you have contact with,” he said.

He said the proposed Youth Opportunity Centre would instead be tasked with identifying available opportunities and making them accessible to young people across the region.

JAK-UP said the initiative formed part of a broader vision to transform the NDC youth wing into an organisation that does more than mobilise young people for electoral victories.

He said his vision was to build a youth wing that equips its members with the skills, networks, resources and opportunities needed to advance their personal and professional lives.

JAK-UP also said his manifesto was developed from his experience, reflections and desire to make the youth wing more effective and responsive to the needs of its members.

He said the document identifies existing gaps within the youth wing and proposes practical measures to strengthen its structures, build the capacity of young people, expand economic opportunities and promote youth development in the Volta Region.

A major feature of the manifesto, he said, was its emphasis on accountability.

“It gives our members a clear basis for assessing our commitment against our performance,” he said, stressing that leadership should be measured by what it delivers rather than what it promises.

He said his campaign was therefore premised on a shift from leadership defined by words and promises to one demonstrated through organisation, strategic planning and effective execution.

Promoting Volta tourism

Another component of the manifesto is the proposed Volta Youth Drive, which JAK-UP said would leverage the region’s reputation for cleanliness and other attractions to promote tourism and create economic opportunities for young people.

He said his campaign would in the coming days provide further details on the initiatives contained in the manifesto.

JAK-UP said the ultimate goal was to build an NDC youth wing where every constituency matters, every member feels a sense of belonging and young people can see a meaningful future within the party.