The former Minister of Youth Affairs Hon.Bai Mahmoud Bangura has called on the Youth to engage in wealth building  in pursuit of Influence to change the narrative from them to us” .

 He made this call during the National Youth Leadership Summit staged by a battery of Sierra Leone Youth Ambassadors in commemoration of the International Youth day on Wednesday 12th August 2020 at The Sierra Leone House of Parliament.

The experienced Politician, Youth  activist narrated a thrilling chronology of affirmative actions as embedded in the ‘African union Commission Strategic Plan 2004-2007 which  carved the stage  to give priority to youth development and empowerment.

He underscores the importance of youth participation and involvement in the development of not only Sierra Leone but the African Continent.

He said global actions as well as regional actions have been taken as manifestation of political will by State actors to remedy the problems of the Youth, sighting that; Africa’s Renaissance cannot be realised if adequate investment is not made in the youth that constitute 40% of the African population.

The astute former youth Minister and Ambassador highlighted the African union (A.U)  policy framework in the form of ‘ African charter which underpins the rights, duties and freedoms of youth  ‘ adopted by government and heads of state in the Continent.

  But he argued and opined that , such actions have not change the narrative  because young people at the centre of global development; have only participated in the ‘ production ‘ and not the ‘ distribution ‘ of the wealth.

Whilst commending the Global theme ” Youth engagement for global action” and the  National Theme ” changing he Narrative from them to us…” The Thorough Youth Worker said young people can only change the narrative when they start to diversify the approach of advocacy, agitation to political inclusion  and leadership decision making ; to entrepreneurship ventures; so that they can be creators of jobs and not job seekers, to be economic drivers and not to be driven by economies .

 He said this can only be achieved through youth positive  thinking that will lead to Socio-economic actions for sustainable livelihood.

In his final presentation, he advised young people to believe that they are the custodians of their own development.

He said with peace, security, Health and wealth the narrative will change from them to us..”for Socio economic development of the Country and the African Continent.