IPNEWS-Monrovia: On Thursday, September 22, 2022 at the 77th United Nations General Assembly in New York City, President George Weah addressed the world body on the governance process in Liberia delineating a wide range of national issues. Among the issues addressed to the General Assembly, was the Program to rehabilitate at-risk youth in Liberia.
It can be recalled that since the civil war Liberians continue to face serious threats to national security as the number of at-risk youth continue to swell.
Some disadvantaged youth at the Palm Groove cemetery in central Monrovia
Every county has pockets of at-risk youth commonly known as Zogos. These zogos constantly harass, intimidate and terrorize peaceful citizens and make away with their belongings. Against this backdrop, the government decided to intervene and arrest this alarming threat to the nation’s growth and development, that the government of President Weah initiated the National Youth Rehabilitation & Empowerment project in 2019 to rehabilitate and empower disadvantaged youths by launching a 13 million dollars program.
It is envisaged by the government that the program will transform the youths into productive citizens. In the wake of this growing number of young people who are disadvantaged and at risk, a lot needs to be done rather than mere pronouncements. Research has shown that 30-35% of the country’s population is engulfed with drug addiction that is cancerous to their existence as a people.
The country has witnessed in the last three years, an alarming wave of at-risk youth since the program was initiated and nothing substantially has happened, as opined by Mr. Jeremiah Sackor, a political observer who made the remark following the president’s speech on Thursday, September 22, 2022.
Some disadvantaged youth of Liberia
“The program for disadvantaged young people is a good idea but the government needs to beyond just words. If the Liberia must remain peaceful, the at-risk youths must be rehabilitated.”
“It spells danger for the country like ours that returned from civil strife a few years ago.
President Weah pronouncement to the world body did not provide any statistics as to what impact his government has made with the program.
Most of the world leaders are interested in the numbers and not just the regular political rhetoric. It is our hope that President George Weah and his government will do more to ensure that the program succeeds.
You can talk about all the beautiful blueprints, if the program does not make any impact, then your government has failed. The rehabilitation and empowerment for disadvantaged youths, is a must!” Writes Seykajipo Amegashie; 0777594750/0880554136;email:seykajipoamegashie19@gmail.com
