The youth of the Upper West Region through the Upper West Regional Secretariat of the National Youth Authority (NYA) have organised a series of activities to celebrate Senior Citizens in the Region.

These activities which included a deployment of about 200 youth to offer services such as laundry, sweeping, cooking, and health screening among others to the Senior Citizens at their homes and a mentorship section with the youth, are aimed at creating an enabling environment for the youth to tap into the wisdom of the senior citizens.

In his welcoming address, Mr. Mumuni Sulemana, the Upper West Regional Coordinator of the National Youth Authority, said Senior Citizens had a lot to offer the nation if their expertise was harnessed to the maximum.

He urged the youth to maximise the pool of wisdom and experience of the elderly people in society to help them become responsible citizens for a better nation.

Mr. Sulemana noted that the event which was the first of its kind in the country will be an annual nationwide activity to help inculcate in the youth, the necessary skills they needed to contribute meaningfully to national development.

Mr Rocky Obeng

Mr. Richard E. Obeng, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the National Youth Authority (NYA) commended the Regional Secretariat of the NYA for initiating the effort to bring the youth and the elderly together on a common platform, to maximise the wisdom and experience of the elderly for the benefit of the youth.

He appealed to the elderly people in society to open their arms to embrace and coach the youth for a brighter future, while urging the youth to regularly seek advice from the elderly since they were regarded as the custodians of wisdom and experiences.

The Deputy CEO also commended the youth of the Region for their selfless service to their communities and societies through voluntary service and social activities as well as setting the pace for youth activism in the country, which he said were the bedrock of national development.

“When it comes to youth engagement, my observation and the records we have from the NYA shows that Upper West Region is leading.

I have seen for myself for the first time young people who are so committed to serving their societies,” he said.

Mr. Obeng indicated that the Authority would initiate a youth skills training project to help develop the skills and potentials of the youth, which would benefit the Region tremendously.

The youth also showed compassion to the destitute in the Region by bathing, clothing and feeding about 48 mentally challenged people.

About 70 Senior Citizens and over 200 youth attended the event which was on the theme: “The Senior Citizen, a reservoir of wisdom and experience for a positive forward march of the Ghanaian youth”.