The Chief of Staff of the Republic of Ghana, Julius Debrah, is leading by example in his efforts to promote a culture of regular exercise among Ghanaians.

In an exclusive interview with JoySports’ Muftawu Nabila Abdulai ahead of the JoySports Invitational Tournament, Mr Debrah, which he has confirmed participation, revealed that he has made weekend walking a consistent part of his routine as part of his personal commitment to health and wellness.

“I have been doing this [walking with friends] every weekend. It used to be daily, but now we do it every weekend and on holidays,” he disclosed.

He emphasised the importance of prioritising exercise as a proactive approach to health, warning against the tendency of only seeking medical attention after falling ill.

“Generally speaking, it’s always better to try and exercise, burn out the calories and be strong. What we normally do is that because most people don’t exercise, we wait and then we get ill and then we go to hospital — that’s curative.

"But we are of the view that when you exercise, we prevent or avoid getting sick,” he explained after nearly two hours of walking with his friends at Trassaco.

He hinted at a broader ambition to encourage physical activity on a national scale, sharing how former President John Dramani Mahama once floated the idea of expanding these weekend walks to communities across the country.

“The truth is that President Mahama told me one day; how about we escalate this [walk] nationwide and then encourage people to exercise. In fact, I have been waiting for him to start because he brought up the idea,” he said with a laugh.

According to Mr Debrah, President Mahama himself is a strong advocate of physical exercise, and there are ongoing considerations to establish a national platform that will encourage Ghanaians to dedicate at least one hour each weekend to some form of vigorous physical activity, whether through aerobics, walking, or other forms of exercise.

“It’s all part of the reset agenda. We don’t want, as a country, to wait and then we start getting ill. In fact, research has shown that the more you exercise, the lesser you get ill,” he noted.