Collaborate with scout groups to inculcate discipline, volunteerism, leadership in youth – President directs Gender Ministry

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has directed the Ministry of Gender and Social Protection to formulate programmes with scout groups in the country to inculcate in young boys and girls the values of discipline, volunteerism, leadership and cooperation.

The President gave the directive when the Commissioner of the Ghana Federation of Scouts and Guides, Dr Edward Mettle-Nunoo, led a delegation to visit him at the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday.

President Akufo-Addo, a product of Scout, commended the federation for promoting good values in young boys and girls through Scout and Guide movements and stressed the need for a comprehensive programme to target more children in the country.

“The emphasis on discipline, volunteerism, leadership and co-operation are elements of human behaviour that are worth promoting,” he said.

The founder of Scout Movement across the world, Robert Biden-Powell, started the movement in Ghana, President Akufo-Addo said, adding that the symbol used by Scout groups globally was adopted in Ghana.

“Scouts have a close affinity to Ghana. Your sign is a Ghanaian sign that has got across the world. We should be enthusiastic about promoting the aims and objectives of Scouts and Girl Guides,” he said.

He expressed the government’s readiness to cooperate with the federation to work towards a common goal of inculcating good values in young boys and girls.

Dr Mettle-Nunoo, on his part, congratulated the President for his efforts and commitment to the development of the country.

He said the indiscipline and hooliganism in schools and societies, especially by the youth, could be addressed if young children were made to go through scout programmes.

“We used to have sponsored (Scout) groups in schools and we had open groups in communities that were operating years back. Unfortunately, they are dying gradually,” he said.

Explaining the benefits of scouting, he said scout programmes focused on character training, leadership traits, self-sufficiency, and volunteerism.

“Our role is to help the government and unfortunately, this is not going well,” he said and added that the federation was ready to move into communities and schools to train children with good values to make them better citizens when they become adults.