The Chairman of the Sumbrungu Youth and Development Association (SUYDA), Albert Adongo, has described the year under review as a defining and transformative period for the Association, marked by leadership renewal, institutional restructuring, and renewed commitment to community development.
Delivering SUYDA’s End-of-Year Address in Sumbrungu, Mr. Adongo expressed gratitude to traditional leaders, opinion leaders, members, and stakeholders for their support, noting that the Association remains committed to promoting unity, youth empowerment, and socio-economic advancement in the community.
According to him, the year witnessed a significant leadership transition aimed at addressing challenges such as declining participation and limited effectiveness under the previous leadership structure. He explained that the change, which followed extensive consultations, ushered in a new executive committed to accountability, inclusiveness, and purposeful leadership to reposition SUYDA to better serve the community.
Mr. Adongo said one of the immediate priorities of the new leadership was organizational restructuring and institutional strengthening. This led to the establishment of functional committees to decentralize responsibilities and improve efficiency, as well as the creation of an Advisory Board to provide strategic guidance, institutional memory, and technical support. He noted that these measures have laid a stronger foundation for participatory governance and sustainable growth of the Association.
Reviewing the Association’s achievements, the SUYDA Chairman highlighted the development of a Welfare Guiding Manual as a major milestone. He explained that the document provides clear and standardized guidelines for handling welfare matters, promotes transparency and fairness, and strengthens solidarity among members, adding that it will serve as an important reference for the Association going forward.
In the health sector, Mr. Adongo said SUYDA intervened constructively to address concerns over absenteeism among some staff of the Sumbrungu Health Centre. Through engagement with relevant authorities, he said the situation has improved, leading to better service delivery and enhanced access to healthcare for residents.
Education advocacy also featured prominently in the year’s activities. The Chairman disclosed that SUYDA engaged both the Municipal Education Directorate and the Office of the Regional Minister on the need for a Senior High School and a Technical and Vocational Education and Training institution in Sumbrungu. He further noted that the Association organized a demonstration to draw attention to concerns regarding the management of Bolgatanga Technical University, efforts he said have begun to yield positive responses from authorities.
Mr. Adongo also commended Asakia, a native of Sumbrungu, for emerging as First Runner-Up in the Ghana’s Most Beautiful pageant. He said the achievement brought pride and national recognition to the community, adding that SUYDA played a key role in mobilization, advocacy, and logistical support throughout the competition.
Despite the progress made, the Chairman acknowledged challenges including inconsistent attendance at meetings, irregular participation by some executives, and incomplete membership of certain committees. He stressed that these challenges highlight the need for shared responsibility, commitment, and sacrifice in community development efforts.
Looking ahead, Mr. Adongo announced a partnership between SUYDA and Pure Trust Foundation, a Tamale-based non-governmental organization, to support the formal registration of the Association with the National Youth Authority and other regulatory bodies. He described the initiative as a critical step toward strengthening SUYDA’s institutional legitimacy and expanding opportunities for development partnerships.
He said the Association plans to fully operationalize the Welfare Guiding Manual, establish an Educational Fund to support needy but brilliant students, provide essential hospital items to the Sumbrungu Health Centre, intensify advocacy for the commissioning of the Sumbrungu Police Station, and strengthen committee membership and participation. Plans are also underway to organize a Homecoming Ceremony to reunite members and mobilize resources for development.
Mr. Adongo concluded by calling for unity, dedication, and continued stakeholder support, expressing confidence that SUYDA will remain steadfast in advancing the welfare and development of the Sumbrungu community.
Source: A1 Radio | 101.1 Mhz | Joshua Asaah | Sumbrungu
