The Paga Youth Movement (PAYOM) has celebrated 12 years of its existence and commitment to championing development in the community.
Founded in 2011, the group with a current membership of over 250, has caused tremendous development in Paga in the areas of education, health, security, sports and peace building.
The group, among its many feats, is credited for its efforts and support to the traditional authority towards the establishment of the Paga Senior High School and the mobilisation of funds for the institution when it was gutted by fire.
Through the vigorous pursuit of the association, the Paga health centre was also upgraded to a district hospital status. This feat, it achieved with support from the traditional council and the local assembly.
In the area of security, the association worked to get a separate district police command and enough personnel to improve security in the border town.
Speaking at its annual get-together and handing over ceremony, the outgoing chairman, Richard Alogitega, said the group over the years has also supported brilliant but needy students to further their education and facilitated the acquisition of land for the construction of a hospital project under the government’s Agender 111 district initiative.
“Through PAYOM, brilliant but needy students were supported to continue their education. We were also able to facilitate the acquisition of land for the district hospital which is currently being used for the agenda 111 project,” he said.
He assured that the association would continue to work assiduously for the projection and development of Paga and its people, adding that it would take the support and dedication of the people to achieve a formidable Paga.
Appeal
The outgoing chairman used the opportunity to reiterate a long standing appeal to the government to upgrade the Paga Senior High School to boarding status.
According to him, the upgrade would help reverse the imminent collapse of the school, which is plagued by accommodation difficulties.
“As it stands now, the school doesn’t get enough students and those who are even placed by the computer still smuggle their way out to other schools,” he said.
New leadership
The old executives led by Alogitega handed over the administration of the association to a new set of executives also led by Wenawome Duriyem Aborah.
Alogitega after handing over charged the new executives to work for the interests of the people of Paga and make the group an enviable one.
He urged the new leadership to manage the group guided by virtues of patience, humility and firmness.
For his part, the incoming chairman Aborah, gave assurance that his team will work according to the ideals, aims and objectives of the group set out for the propagation and propulsion of development and peace of Paga and its people.
He did not hesitate to ask for the unflinching support of members, the chiefs and people of Paga to make his tenure successful.
“My team and I can only be humble that this house (group) chose to trust in us and grant us this great opportunity to serve PAYOM and the good people of Paga. We accept with all humility. We also wish to crave your indulgence to the fact that, for us to succeed, we must succeed together. We therefore seek with all sincerity, that you continue to give us you continuous unflinching support,” Aborah said.
Tackling social vices
Aborah said the new leadership, as part of efforts to build a safer society, would create an endowment fund to give support to students to have access to technical and vocational education to reduce school dropouts.
He said as a border town, crime was expectedly common, so they will invest more in youth education and provide them with employable skills as a measure to reduce social vices.
He called on philanthropist, the local assembly and well meaning residents of Paga to support the endowment fund.
Reporting by Senyalah Castro in Paga in the Upper East Region
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