Regions fete senior citizens to mark Republic Day

Receptions were held in the regions for senior citizens as part of activities marking Ghana’s 54th anniversary as a Republic. Certificates and parcels were presented to some senior citizens who have contributed to the development of their respective areas.

Vincent Amenuveve reports from Bolgatanga that a retired educationist, Mr Robert Ajeni, called on the government to help build a strong foundation for the youth by providing the needed support for tertiary institutions to train the youth in entrepreneurial skills.

He said over the years successive governments had paid lip service to the issue of developing the youth to meet local needs.

In a chat with the Daily Graphic in Bolgatanga yesterday prior to a luncheon held by the Upper East Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) for senior citizens, Mr Ajeni said the current situation where students graduated without getting jobs would not have been the case if the government had trained the youth in entrepreneurial skills.

He was of the view that the country was not producing the right calibre of human resource to propel its development agenda.

Mr Ajeni advised the youth to focus on developing their talents and decide on their future careers before completing school.

At the luncheon, the Upper East Regional Minister, Dr Ephraim Avea Nsoh, commended senior citizens in the region for their immense contribution to the development of the area.

Tamale

At a reception in Tamale, the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru Limuna, urged the people of the region to give peace a chance and use dialogue to resolve their differences, instead of violence, reports Samuel Duodu.

He said the cost of the conflicts and tension in the region was unacceptable and, therefore, called for a collective approach to resolve the numerous conflicts and minimise the tension to help fast-track the development of the region.

He urged the senior citizens to continue to impress on all parties involved in one dispute or another to seek amicable solutions to them in the interest of future generations. 

"Our region is known all over as an area of conflict, which is not good for us,” he said, adding that hardly did a week pass without a report of a clash over chieftaincy or land in the region. 

He said because of that so much time, energy and resources were spent on security.

Certificates and parcels were presented to some personalities for the various roles they had played in the development of the region.

New Tafo

From New Tafo in the Eastern Region, George Folley reports that the management of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), as part of activities to mark the 54th Republic Day, organised a luncheon for its retired workers. 

The luncheon attracted former directors, managers and both senior and junior staff now on retirement. 

In attendance was the institute's choir, the Scientific Voices, who provided melodious music to entertain the retirees. 

In an address, the Executive Director of CRIG, Dr F.M. Amoah, commended the retirees for their hard work which had made the institute what it was.

He said the management would continue to recognise their role in shaping the fortunes of the institute . 

Tema

From Tema in the Greater Accra Region Benjamin Glover reports that the Tema Metropolitan Assembly honoured 20 of its members of staff who retired in 2013 at a get-together for senior citizens held to mark this year’s Republic Day anniversary.

The awardees and other senior citizens were feted to food, drinks, as well as good music provided by the Ghana Navy Band. 

The awardees, 15 of whom served above 15 years, took home double-door refrigerators, plaques and undisclosed amounts of money. 

The rest, who had served between 10 and 14 years, were presented with flat screen television sets, plaque and money. 

Also honoured were 150 senior citizens selected from the various electoral areas. 

They received pieces of wax print for their services to their various communities.

Addressing the gathering, the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, acknowledged the various roles played by the retirees and commended them for helping to build a stable and peaceful nation.

Cape Coast

Zadok Kwame Gyesi reports from Cape Coast that the outgoing Central Regional Minister, Mr E.K.T. Addo, has called on senior citizens to contribute ideas that would help the nation to come out of its current economic crisis.

At a luncheon for the senior citizens, Mr Addo said elderly people had vast experiences that the youth could tap into to better themselves and the country.