The Asuogyaman District has held the 2018 Eastern Regional Youth Camp under the theme: “Promoting voluntarism for national development”.
The first of its kind under the government of H.E. President Akufo Addo, the event brought together hundreds of young people under the National Youth Authority in the district together.
The National Youth Authority by establishment is mandated to develop a dynamic and disciplined youth instilled with a spirit of nationalism and a sense of public service and nationality.
Youthful and energetic young people with different skills and professional backgrounds from the various districts across the Eastern Region were camped for fourteen days at Mangoase in the Asuogyaman District, providing voluntary services of various kinds.
In 2013, the Mangoase community following a needs assessment survey conducted by the Asuogyaman District Assembly, identified the establishment of a health center as a key need of the community.
However, the community which found the delay in the establishment of the facility worrisome took steps to build the center through fund raising. The fund raising notwithstanding, the completion of the facility stalled due large the ack of adequately funds as resources realized from the fund raising are insufficient.
However, the District Director of the National Youth Authority (NYA) together with the District Chief Executive for Asuogyaman, Hon Samuel Kwame Agyekum have intervened by taking steps to complete the stalled project.
The DCE believes that the theme of the 2018 National Youth Camp, “promoting voluntarism for National Development” should serve as a catalyst towards completing the ‘left to go waste’ health center.
The campers were thus engaged in plastering, fixing of windows and doors of the health centre including the digging of a manhole.
The District Chief Executive, Hon S.K. Agyekum
The Asuogyaman District Chief Executive, Hon. Samuel Kwame Agyekum could not hide his joy over the kind services offered by the campers over their 14 days stay in his district.
“I don’t even know how to express my gratitude to the NYA, the National Director, Regional as well as the District Director…. I am very grateful to them,” he said.
According to him voluntarism services like this would save the Assemblies some labour cost, adding that the habit of voluntarism should be inculcated into the youth to make them more patriotic.
The District NYA Director
Having received almost all the praises for her organizational skills and hard work, Miss Mohammed Luyusa Akilu felt motivated over the attention her dedicated service is attracting from the public.
“I am feeling blessed, am happy, I am elated because it’s a motivation, because it tells me that the public including our leaders are looking at what I am doing and it’s still a challenge to do more,” Luyusa Akilu said.
Participants view of the exercise
Some participants who spoke to Rite FM’s Omanba Kodwo Boafo expressed gratitude at the opportunity the camping offered them including the opportunity to, for the first time see the Adomi Bridge and the Akosombo Dam.
Others also spoke about the prospects of venturing into acquaculture following their experience to the area which is a predominantly fishing community.
Re-development of 75 acres of Land
The Youth Authority Directorate in the district has received 75 acreage of farmlands, 50 and 25 acres respectively, from two traditional authorities in the area; Nana Okumanini Gyemera V, the Twafohene of Akwamu Traditional Area and Nana Mamfe Otuabeng III, chief of Akwamu Gyakiti.
The National Youth Authority in Asuogyaman District has also developed an Agriculture project proposal dubbed “Youth in Agribusiness and Vocational Training” to empower young men and women in the area. The project among other things is seeking to provide financial, skills and market support for the youth who are ready to avail themselves for the exercise.
Speaking at the closing ceremony on Saturday, Mr. Bright Acheampong, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the NYA noted that the authority was going to support the district to make the use of its lands useful.
According to him, the authority was in conversation with the Agric Ministry and the Ghana Export Promotion Authority to supply free improved seeds and fertilizers to young persons who are willing to go into farming on the given lands.
In his words, Mr. Bright Achampong promised that by the first quarter of 2019, the directorate will be supported to carry out training, observation, mentorship and enterpreneurship of the youth.
NYA to Make All District offices operational in 2019
The Eastern Regional Director of the NYA, Mrs. Mansah Minnah Mariam told the media she was going to collaborate with the Works Department of all the Assemblies whose NYA offices are defunct to renovate them for effective operation.
That not enough, the deputy CEO, Mr. Bright Acheampong alluded to his regional director’s submission that, budget allocation has been made ready for refurbishment of all the ineffective district offices and also establish new offices where there are none.
“Our budgetary allocation is already there. We need to start by getting offices where offices do not exist and refurbish the existing ones to the state of the art,” Mr. Achampong said.
On staffing, the National Youth Authority deputy CEO revealed that pending clearance from the Ministry of Finance for recruitment, close to about 2,104 Nation Builders Corp (NABCO) employees will be deployed to augment the staffing deficit of the authority at the various district.
Source: Omanba Kodwo Boafo/ritefmonline.org
