By Philip Tengzu, GNA
Wa (UW/R), Aug. 02, GNA – The Upper West Regional Secretariat of the National Youth Authority (NYA) has organised a clean-up exercise in Wa, as part of activities marking this year’s National Youth Month to encourage patriotism among young people.
The exercise, which was organised in collaboration with the Wa Municipal Assembly, was also pursuant to the International Youth Day celebrations observed annually on August 12.
It brought together many young people drawn from youth groups, including the Airborne Cadet, cadet corps of Wa Senior High School and Wa Technical Institute, the Ghana Scout Association, Curious Minds Ghana and She Leads, among others.
The participants cleaned designated public places and desilted gutters of some principal streets amidst brass band music, with personnel of the Ghana Police Service present to ensure sanity throughout the exercise.
Addressing people after the exercise, Mrs Vida Addi, the Upper West Regional Director of the NYA, said the clean-up exercise reflected the Authority’s commitment to instilling patriotism and civic responsibility among young people.
She said volunteerism and community service remained practical ways through which the youth could demonstrate love for the nation, while contributing to sustainable development.
“What we have done today is to show patriotism to our nation. We have over 200 young people cleaning our markets and other public places just to keep our community clean.
I encourage all of you to continue rendering this service to our motherland by keeping our environment clean,” she said.
Mrs Addi urged the youth to sustain the spirit of volunteerism beyond the commemorative exercise and continue serving their communities wherever they found themselves.
Mr Wisdom Kankpenuba, the Secretary General, Ghana Taekwondo Federation, said the participation of the cadet troops underscored their commitment to nurturing responsible and disciplined citizens through community service.
He explained that sanitation was a shared responsibility and called on all residents to make environmental cleanliness a daily practice rather than organised campaigns.
Mr Umar Saeed Sidibe, a volunteer with Curious Minds Ghana, also lauded the initiative, describing it as a timely intervention to promote healthy and clean communities.
He said the exercise aligned with the objectives of the Clean Green Work project, being implemented by Curious Minds Ghana to promote cleaner, safer and healthier communities, particularly plastic waste management.
“When an organisation is pursuing the same objective that you believe in, the best thing is to support it so that together you achieve a common goal.
That is why we joined NYA and the Wa Municipal Assembly in this exercise”, he said.
The NYA had set aside August as National Youth Month to promote youth participation in national development through volunteerism, civic engagement and leadership.
The 2026 celebration was on the theme, “Rebuilding Values, Inspiring Patriotism, Empowering the Youth in the Digital Age”.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo
Reporter: Philip Tengzu, GNA
Email: [email protected]