ACCRA, Ghana (PANA)—Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, Ghana’s deputy minister of education, called on the youth in Ghana and Africa to be proud of their rich African heritage. He noted that the youth seem to be captured by events of the western world and are deceived by the pictures painted in foreign movies and other musical shows they watch.

He urged them to stop imitating these foreign cultures. Mr. Chambas, who spoke at an African Youth Day forum that was part of the Pan African Historical Festival, reminded the youth of their roles and responsibilities in completing an agenda towards total emancipation set by African leaders.

The program brought together youth from both primary and secondary institutions, vocational schools, Black Americans and Blacks from the Diaspora.

The education minister said total independence could not be attained without involvement of youth.

"Dr. Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana’s first president) believed in the youth as a tool to attain independence and was successful in doing so. Thus the responsibility still rests on the youth of today," said Mr. Chambas. He noted that despite 40 years of independence, the majority of Ghanaians still live in poverty and have poor health care services.

"We are unable to convert our raw materials into consumable goods, but rely so much on the western world for things we can do with little effort," he said, urging all Africans to begin realizing the real meaning of emancipation by improving political, economic and social structures and ensuring that African governments maintain their dignity.

Yvonne Akosua, of the Marcus Garvey Youth League, said even though slavery was abolished years ago, Africans have ever since remained under mental slavery.