Samari urges youth to preserve cultural heritage

MR. ALHASSAN Samari, Upper East Regional Minister, has urged the youth in the region to preserve, maintain and conserve their cultural heritage, and historical assets.

This should be complemented by the development of the local crafts industry, which did not only enhance the creative skills of the people, but also served as employment avenues for them.

In a speech read for him by his deputy, Mrs. Agnes Asangalisa Chigabatia, at the introduction of the Global Youth Identity Discovery Project (GYIDP) in Bolgatanga, the Regional Minister assured the youth of the support of the Regional Coordinating Council, and Municipal and District assemblies in implementing the project.

The GYIDP was an initiative of the British Council, with a revolutionary mental and attitudinal movement of young people, from Scotland, Kenya, Ghana, and Uganda (SKEGU).

The vision of SKEGU is to redefine leadership, by inspiring and empowering young people in communities/rural areas, towards personal, community, national and global development.

Mr. Samari said to a large extent, the development of every nation was based on the quality of her human resource, particularly the youth.

According to him, the development of the Upper East Region was very much dependent on harnessing the potentials of the youth, who were the future leaders of the region, and was hopeful that the project would focus on discovering the potentials of the youth.

Introduced on the theme; “How to harness the potentials of the young people for the development of the Upper East Region,” the projected aimed at transferring leadership and self-enterprising skills to 400 young people, between the ages of 17 and 28, in each of its operational communities.

Mr. Samari said, “An educated society leads to low poverty rates, and higher living standards, complemented by good environmental sanitation, and maintenance of health.”

The youth should therefore be tuned towards things that will benefit them, their communities and the nation at large.

Bernard Adjei, a member of SKEGU-Ghana, who spoke on behalf of the leader of SKEGU-Ghana, Amuquandoh Prosper, said the exercise started in Walewale in the Northern Region, on July 31, this year, where the leaders interacted with students from Junior and Senior High schools. Other places that benefited in the region, included Gambaga and Nalerigu.

In the Upper Region, the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly, Navrongo and Bongo district assemblies were benefiting from the project.

In the Bolgatanga Municipality, the Bolgatanga Girls and Zuarungu Senior High schools, and seven Junior High schools, including the Abilba No1 and No2, Sacred Heart and Adabase schools, have been educated on five key topics on leadership.

Mr. Anthony Aziabah, Bolgatanga Municipal Director of Education, advised the students to eschew all forms of social vices, and let discipline be their hallmark. That way, they can achieve academic laurels.