The CEO of AquaBolg Natural Mineral Water, esteemed media practitioner, and football administrator, Humul Khrusum Tahiru, has raised concerns about the interest of young people in the Upper East Region in participating in various programs, including religious and personal development activities.
Madam Tahiru explained that the situation is exceptionally worse when considering personal development programs.
“Even with entertainment and religious programs, I doubt if we have the interest to the level where we would have wanted young people to be interested. Generally, we have a bad attitude when it comes to program attendance in this region. It doesn’t matter what kind of program it is. But it becomes worse when it comes to capacity-building programs. Sometimes, they feel that it is of no essence,” she said.
The conversation around participation in personal development programs began after the host of A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show, Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith, shared some insights after leading the organisation of two youth-oriented programs in the region over the last two years.
According to Madam Tahiru, she has realised that many young people consider such programs boring and of no immediate value. This situation, she said, affects the development of young people in the region because they are not able to learn from people who have varied experiences to share.
“I find it difficult to deal with when people have difficulty attending such programs. It is a problem. They are not interested because nobody is going to give them money at that program. Also, some of these programs don’t even provide food. The point also is that the person attending these programs has not even identified the importance of the program in the first place.”
She added that some young people think, “if it is of no importance to me, why should I go?”
Meanwhile, Raymond Ayinne, a Youth Activist, has also expressed strong disappointment over the general disinterest of the youth in personal development and capacity-building programs.
Mr. Ayinne, who has been part of the organisation of many youth-led and beneficial programs, explained that it was unfortunate that young people do not participate in such programs.
The conversation around participation in personal development programs began after the host of A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show, Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith, shared some insights after leading the organisation of two youth-oriented programs in the region over the last two years.
“I have been involved in a number of activities geared towards empowering young people, and you realise that despite all your marketing and promotional efforts, many young people are adamant. Let me digress a bit to say that the situation in the Upper East Region is not peculiar to Northern Ghana. If you go to Tamale and organise an event, and you put out a flyer, people contact you for details of the activities. That is the sort of demonstration of interest in their self-development. You also see that in the Upper West Region. In the case of the Upper West Region, 30 minutes before the start of the program, the hall will be filled with people who have seen it and are chasing you to be part of it. People also call you and give you feedback on how to improve the programs. The same cannot be said about the Upper East Region,” he said.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
