Bolga welcomes for American Peace Corps Volunteers

Mr Rockson Bukari, Bolgatanga District Chief Executive (DCE) on Sunday urged United States Peace Corps volunteers to assist to government's efforts towards awareness creation among the people on the AIDS pandemic.

He said by the nature of their work, Peace Corps volunteers are in constant touch with the people at the grassroots and are therefore, in a unique position to advance the anti-AIDS campaign.

The DCE was delivering a keynote address at a welcoming ceremony in Bolgatanga for 19 US Peace Corps Trainees, who were about to commence a nine-week pre-service induction programme.

He called the immense contributions Peace Corps volunteers have made over the years towards the socio-economic development of the Upper East and the nation as a whole. He said Peace Corps involvement in the three Northern Regions had moved from the education sector to cover other fields such as health, water and sanitation, the environment, HIV/AIDS campaign, small enterprises development gender and youth development.

Mr Bukari urged Peace Corps volunteers to take advantage of their stay in the region to visit the Paga crocodile ponds, the Tongo Hills, the slave route in Builsa District, the Gbewaa shrine at Pusiga and other attractive tourist sites.

He said there was absolute peace and security in the Bolgatanga District, and gave the assurance that the volunteers would enjoy total hospitality from both the district assembly and the local populace.

Mr Joseph Kufuor, Peace Corps Site Director, explained that during the nine-week training programme, the volunteers would be attached to selected local families who would teach them the Ghanaian way of life.

He appealed to the home-stay families to provide the needed comfort to make the volunteers' stay a memorable one. On behalf of her colleagues, Miss Evelyn Marie Gosyleon, thanked the District Chief Executive and people of Bolgatanga District for the cordial welcome accorded the group. She said the volunteers are looking forward to learn about Ghana and to share the American experience with the people of Ghana.

At the end of the nine-week induction, the Peace Corps volunteers would be posted to various parts of the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions to commence service.