The Northern Regional Directorate of the National Youth Authority (NYA) has launched the 2026 National Youth Month celebration with a clean-up exercise in Tamale.
The exercise was aimed at encouraging young people to embrace volunteerism, patriotism, and sanitation as essential contributions to national development.
It brought together youth groups, members of the Youth Parliament in the region, and volunteers to clean parts of the Tamale Metropolis.
Mr Amankona Ampofo, Northern Regional Director of the NYA, addressing participants during the exercise, said the month of August had been set aside since 2022 to celebrate the contributions of young people to national development.
He explained that unlike previous years, when activities were concentrated at the national level, this year’s celebration would feature activities across all regions to enable more young people to participate effectively.
He said the clean-up exercise marked the beginning of a series of activities planned throughout August to commemorate Youth Month.
He noted that the exercise also aligned with the President’s national sanitation campaign aimed at promoting clean and healthy communities.
Mr Ampofo emphasised that: “We decided to begin the Youth Month celebration with a clean-up exercise because cleanliness promotes good health and demonstrates our commitment to national development.”
He said the youth had a critical role to play in building the nation’s future, adding that the country’s development depended largely on the active participation and commitment of its young population.
“If Ghana works, the youth of Ghana will work. The youth hold the future of this country, but we must all contribute meaningfully to make Ghana thrive,” he said.
Miss Ruhia Tidow, a Member of the Sagnarigu Municipal Youth Parliament, said the exercise reflected the responsibility of young people to protect the environment and safeguard public health.
She said maintaining clean surroundings was important in preventing disease outbreaks and promoting healthier communities.
She expressed concern about poor waste disposal practices, saying they contributed to flooding and environmental degradation.
“As young people, we must ensure that after consuming anything, we dispose of the waste properly to keep our environment clean,” she said.
She appealed to residents to adopt proper waste management practices and support efforts to keep their communities clean throughout the year rather than only during organised campaigns.
GNA
