Let youths partake in policy formulation - Dion Ngute

The Minister Delegate at the Ministry of External Relations in charge of Relations with the Commonwealth, Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute, has urged world leaders to avoid sidelining young people when formulating policies that affect them.

“The problems of the youths can only be best presented by them. It would be unfair to speak about young people in their absence. As a vulnerable group, young people are best placed to express their needs, if given the platform.”

Dion Ngute was addressing youths, Government officials and some members of the diplomatic corps at the Ministry of External Relations in Yaounde on March 12, during the celebration of the 2015 edition of the Commonwealth Day.

The Minister stated that the continuous marginalisation of young people can significantly damage social structures and impede national development. To him, the theme of this year’s celebration tagged “A Young Commonwealth,” is a message that reminds leaders that young people are an asset to the society.

The Minister said young people represent more than half of the Commonwealth population of over two billion people. The celebration of the Commonwealth Day and the emphasis on young people, the Minister said, provides the Commonwealth the opportunity to assess the results of its several years of advocacy to transform the concerns of young people into one of the pillars of the post 2015 Millennium Development Goals, MDGs.

To him, if Governments do not recognise that youths are vital and invaluable to investment now and in the future, extremist groups will take advantage of their vulnerability and the gains that have been achieved under the MDGs will be lost.

Minister Dion Ngute, however, called on youths to avoid extremism and take advantage of the various opportunities offered by Cameroon and the Commonwealth like; the scholarship schemes, the various youth credit schemes such as PIASS, PIFMAS, PAJER-U and the National Civic Service Agency for Participation in Development.

The Minister of External Relations, Pierre Moukoko Mbonjo, said this year’s Commonwealth celebration is special because it marks the 20th anniversary of Cameroon’s membership in the Commonwealth. While officially closing the week-long celebration activities, Moukoko Mbonjo called on Cameroonians to remain committed to the values and principles of the Commonwealth.

The celebrations also witnessed the award of prizes to some young people who had distinguished themselves through their impactful projects and Commonwealth essay competitions.

One of them is Malla Tabot Enow, winner of the first-ever 2014 Queen's Young Leaders Awards, whose initiative to engage men accompany their wives in their child-bearing processes, contributed positively to maternal health in Cameroon.