By Hannah Dadzie
Deputy Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Emmanuel Adumua Bossman has asked the youth to speak up against wrongdoings to help build the success of the country. He said standing for the truth and volunteerism is a prerequisite to fostering Ghana’s development.
Speaking at the 63rd Republic Day parade at the Black Star Square in Accra, Mr Adumua Bossman, said if the youth are given the needed leadership training, they can turn fortunes around in the country. He, therefore, called for the Republic Day to be made a national day for the youth which would be used to discuss issues of youth development and also celebrate their invaluable contributions to society.
“Truth among citizens is a key tool in fighting wrongdoings in our society. On this historic occasion, I want encourage the youth to be upright in speaking the truth and shy away of false information and spreading of same. Volunteerism has been the bedrock of development in most advanced countries, and we will encourage the youth to embrace this spirit to foster the growth of our country,” Mr Adumua Bossman noted.
The National Cadet Corps and its partners, including the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ghana Education Service, the Ghana Armed Forces, other Security Services and the National Youth Authority, commemorated the 63rd Republic Day to highlight the significance of patriotism, discipline, volunteerism, unity and a shared sense of purpose in fostering national development and progress among Ghanaians.
About 150 schools across the 16 regions of the country demonstrated their training and skills through captivating drills and demonstrations, reflecting the core values of the National Cadet Corps, Ghana. The contingents, made up of over 12,000 student cadets from Basic, Junior and Senior High Schools represented their various arms of services, Army, Navy, Airforce, Police, Fire Service, CEPS of the GRA and Immigration at the parade ground. Deputy Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Emmanuel Adumua Bossman who was the reviewing Officer for the parade commended heads of institutions who have contributed to shaping the students.
“Every year we get the excitement the commemorate this day with the youth of this country because of their believe in yes we can. On this day, let us come together to encourage the youth to do more voluntary work. We believe that investing in the youth in various small ways will yield a positive outcome in building the success of our country. The government of Ghana appreciates young people, we are proud of all of you because you choose love for your nation over fighting against each other. Keep up the good work and in our diverse ways we will do our best to support you,” The Deputy Chief of Staff said.
The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Dr. Eric Nkansah said the Service recognizes the activities of the Cadet Corps as a critical component of the school system in shaping future leaders. He urged all schools to prioritize Cadet Corps to help inculcate the sense of patriotism in students. He also asked the Security services to give a quota to the cadet students in their recruitment processes since they are already endowed with the skills.
” I want to congratulate the organizers for bringing us together to celebrate our dear country in such an orderly and colourful manner. The cadet is a miniature security force in our schools that helps to maintain discipline, safety and security on our campuses. The benefit derived from their activities are enormous, ranging from personal to societal. We are appealing to our security services to prioritize our cadet students during recruitment processes as these students have already gone through some level of training regiments,” Dr. Nkansah said.
Member of Parliament for Klottey Korle Constituency, Dr. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings commended the Cadet Corps for their tremendous display and the impact they have over the years on the nation. She called for more support from other organizations to help groom the students. Dr. Zanetor described the proposal to give a quota to the cadet students as a brilliant idea but was quick to add that they should be able to satisfy the selection criteria to maintain high standards in the security services.
The National Cadet Coordinator-General, Nicholas Nii Tettey Amarteifio, called for collaboration to build a better future for the youth.
“To us as young people we feel this is our day. We feel it is time for us to come together and say that let’s hold hands together and make Ghana what it has to be. Nobody can make it for us, we can travel to any part of the world but as young people, we are the only ones that can make Ghana, what Ghana is today. Let’s support the youth, let’s encourage them, let’s pat their back and let’s make hay while the sun shines,” Mr Amarteifio noted.
Certificates and a 10-day trip to the UK were awarded to some heads of institutions for distinguishing themselves in promoting school cadets and discipline in educational institutions. The focus of this year’s celebration is: “Esprit De-Corps, Our Strength and Purpose”.
