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| Bernard Gbayee Goah |
Written by:
Bernard Gbayee Goah
President, Operation We Care for Liberia
Bernard Gbayee Goah
President, Operation We Care for Liberia
There is a limitless untapped
potential of young people living in Liberia. The problem remains the
unwillingness of government institutions, corporations, and policy-makers to
recognize such potential. And this is a Major challenge preventing Liberian youths
from reaching their full potential.
Relevant institutions in Liberia must
proactively realize the potential of young people if the structures and
problems that are keeping youth unemployment rates high must be quenched. The
lack of decent jobs resulting from lack of contemporary career educational opportunities
is a major contributing factor to youth unemployment, and this is by all means
a key source of social and political upheaval in Liberia today. Multitudes of
young people are jobless, poor, school dropouts, and uneducated, but they are
all demanding their rights and greater voice in economic and political life.
There is a need to support initiatives that encourage social contracts that
buttress job-rich economic growth. Liberia must make youth Empowerment a
priority. Government must focus on more and better jobs for young people. Government
must be willing to give Big businesses that operate in Liberia tax breaks, and
other incentives. This will pave a way for companies to offer jobs, tuitions, and
other forms of stipends to young people in Liberia.
Also, Practical discussions on how
collaboration among government institutions, social partners, the private
sector and young people themselves can be maximized to increase employment must
be encouraged. The need to inspire Young entrepreneurs must be prioritized in
Liberia.
As potential natural resources that
enhance economic growths in Liberia are finite and continue to deplete day by
day, Government must give tax breaks to companies whose operations are bent on
going green. Government must also encourage green educational career among
young Liberians pursuing education at all levels. Green career is the way forward.
Technological innovations by means of Green oriented initiatives come from
accessible local resources. And such resources are availably abundant in
Liberia. In fact, they are environmentally save, renewable in nature, and
durable if used pragmatically. The
Liberian government must encourage the use of new but green technologies in
school curriculums so that young Liberians would be exposed to the idea of
“Going Green” at an earlier stage in their pursuit of education. Government can
realize this potential if policy-makers become more aware that the pillows of
any successful country rest on government’s support of the potential of the
youths to pursue their dreams.
Lastly, government must strengthen
human capital in green educational endeavors as well as open up non-rigid labor
markets that guarantee youth employment.
Without economic growth, getting young people to work is a complete
illusion because there will be no new jobs as more and more people are born. Reinventing
government’s monetary policy that focuses on youth unemployment cannot be over
emphasized at this time. Also, an accompanied durable solution that alleviates
youth unemployment in any country is regional collaboration. Regardless of
individual economic strength, West African countries, especially Mono River
countries must realize the potential of young people and be willing to work
together innovatively to solve the long-standing problems of youth joblessness.
Once the realization and support of
youth potential is there, government and policy markers can now focus on the willingness
aspect and target those structures that perpetuate unemployment thereby making
the challenge recognizable and the solution attainable.