Ghana Red Cross opens national youth camp
Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Minister of Information, on Monday urged the youth to develop interest in extra curriculum activities to avail themselves to areas that were not exposed in the academic curriculum.
He said usually people looked down upon extra curriculum activities “but they are areas that made us stand tall among our colleagues”.
“What we learn from extra curriculum gives us confidence and the urge to venture into areas that others dare to move to,” he said.
Mr Ablakwa who made the call at the launch of the fifth Ghana Red Cross Society (GRCS) National Youth Camp in Accra, said efforts like what the GRCS offered were the most valuable in the community.
He advised the youth to be committed to their fundamental principles through continuous service globally, especially where there were afflictions.
The Deputy Minister pledged government’s continuous commitment to create the enabling environment for the youth to contribute positively to the development of the country.
He, therefore, urged the youth to obey their instructors, listen attentively and open their mind to learn what would be imparted to them to better their lots.
Professor Kwabena Mante-Bosompem, President of GRCS, said a careful look at the challenges facing voluntary service today revealed that the philosophy, concept and approach of volunteerism was undergoing a transformation mainly as a result of the prevailing social and economic circumstances in many countries.
He said volunteerism arose out of the very essence of humanity and it had played a central role in human development and stressed the need for stakeholders to understand motivations of volunteerism and act in a way to prepare them to reap even more benefits in future.
Prof. Mante-Bosompem said volunteerism left a significant mark on major global achievements in human rights, justice, relief, rescue, poverty reduction and many others, and it was not surprising that its expectations were deeply rooted in the United Nations and many UN organisations.
He said the youth were identified as the most important thrusts in rekindling voluntarism and enhance major programmes in the Red Cross Movement and urged the youth to avail themselves to learn new things to enrich their curriculum vitae.
Mr Ernest Nyame-Annan, National Youth Co-ordinator, GRCS, said the main objective of the camp was to build the capacity of the youth through volunteerism and to foster friendship and cordial interaction among the members of the society.
He said participants would visit places including the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, National Theatre, Tema Harbour, Burma Camp and Accra Mall to acquaint themselves with their services.
There were representatives from Germany, United States of America and Nigeria.
Source: GNA