The Ntuune Pogyua Foundation, a non-profit organization, has feted over 400 senior citizens at Gambibgo, a community in the Bolgatanga East District of the Upper East Region.
The seniors were served assorted drinks and food as they displayed their old time dance skills to variety of local music from traditional artists in the Region.
Apart from the party, each received six yards piece of cloth and sums of money from the Foundation for their upkeep.
The Foundation had previously organized free medical screening exercise and registered them on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
The annual gesture was under the Foundation’s ‘Adopt a senior citizen project.’
Dr Nadia Adongo Fynn, President of the Foundation, who addressed the media during the party, said the season was a time to celebrate and have fun with friends and loved ones, and that the elderly could not be left out of the celebration.
‘It is for them to come together and enjoy the holiday season. Ntuune Pogyua will always remember them whe
n it comes to Christmas, and whatever they contributed to the nation is not forgotten’.
‘As a Foundation, our mandate is to make sure that they are well taken care of. That is why we decided to celebrate them,’ Dr Fynn, a Canadian-trained Gerontologist said.
She said the gesture was in honour of her late father, who was popularly known as ‘Ntuune’ in the gurune language, which mean ‘My work or job,’ after he died at age 105.
‘I believe that as youth, if we take care of the elderly, the blessings from them will make us get there one day. There are so many things we can learn from the elderly that we need to take time to get to know,’ Dr Fynn said.
She urged the youth to endeavour to at least adopt a deprived elderly person in their communities even if the person was not their family member, visit them and ensure they were healthy.
That, Dr Fynn, the Foundation’s President, also the Deputy Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, said would ensure the youth received blessings from the s
enior citizens.
‘As youth, I urge you to at least adopt an elderly person in your community, even if is not your family member, who is deprived, make it a duty to visit them, check on them just to ensure they are healthy,’ she said.
She appreciated the support of her husband, family, friends and well-wishers, who encouraged and continued to support the Foundation to execute its mandate, saying ‘Without their support, this would not have been possible.’
Source: Ghana News Agency