Youth urged to embrace volunteerism as NYA marks International Youth Day with clean-up exercise

The Volta Regional Director of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Mr. Yao Semorde, has called on young people to embrace volunteerism and community service as a means of contributing meaningfully to national development without expecting immediate rewards.

He made the call on Saturday, August 1, 2026, during a regional clean-up exercise at the Ho Main Lorry Park, held as part of activities marking this year's International Youth Day celebrations.

Speaking to the media after the exercise, Mr. Semorde said the nationwide commemoration was intended to recognise the invaluable contributions of young people to Ghana's development. He explained that the Volta Regional Directorate chose to kick-start its activities with a community clean-up initiative to promote civic responsibility.

"We are doing this in recognition of the contribution of young people to the development of our country. So we are doing a nationwide celebration, and at the regional level we have just undertaken a clean-up exercise at the Ho Main Lorry Park," he said.

According to him, the Authority is committed to instilling values of patriotism, volunteerism and service among the youth.

"We want young people to know that they should leave this country better than they found it, so that in future they can proudly say they contributed their quota to Ghana's development," he added.

More than 200 young people participated in the exercise, including members of the Association of Hairdressers and Beauticians. Mr. Semorde commended the participants for their dedication, describing their efforts as a demonstration of love and commitment to "Mother Ghana."

He outlined a series of activities planned to mark the occasion. On Sunday, the NYA will participate in a church service with the Lord's Pentecostal Church as part of a youth camp, while on Friday, August 7, the Authority will join the Muslim community for prayers at a mosque.

The Volta Regional delegation will subsequently travel to Kumasi on August 10 to participate in the national celebration of International Youth Day, scheduled for August 12 at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

Beyond the celebrations, Mr. Semorde drew attention to infrastructural challenges at the Ho Main Lorry Park, particularly poor drainage at the facility's exit point.

He observed that choked gutters were causing water to stagnate, posing a threat to the road infrastructure and creating unsanitary conditions.

"Specifically, what we have realised is that the gutters are choked. Water is collecting at a particular point because it is not flowing through the drains. If nothing is done, it will overflow and eventually damage the road," he explained.

He appealed to the Ho Municipal Assembly to direct its engineers to assess the drainage system and ensure regular desilting to protect the facility and improve sanitation.

Also speaking after the exercise, the Assistant Environmental Health Analyst at the Ho Municipal Assembly, Madam Esinam Sindarela Agbakpe, urged residents to take personal responsibility for keeping the municipality clean.

She commended the NYA for partnering with the Assembly and described the clean-up exercise as successful.

Madam Agbakpe stressed that government efforts alone would not be enough to maintain a clean environment unless residents adopted responsible sanitation practices.

"Not until we all understand that sanitation is our individual responsibility. Government will not come and tidy up the place for us. It is we, the individuals, who create the nuisance," she said.

She disclosed that the Assembly was considering the installation of security gates at some identified locations to prevent indiscriminate dumping of waste and maintain cleanliness in the area.