Society

To boost effective schooling: Mamfe mayor offers cash, didactics to holiday jobbers.

Mamfe mayor handing over cash reward to holiday jobbers

Over hundreds of young people who were offered holiday jobs by the Mamfe Council in Manyu Division of the South West Region, have received cash and didactic materials to ease their resumption of classes for the new school year.
The youth who secured holiday jobs during the just ended summer vacation, were rewarded during an event organised by the mayor of Mamfe, Robertson Tabenchong Ashu.

The ceremony to reward the youth for the two months of service to the municipality took place on Friday September 6, at the Mamfe Town Hall.

The holidaymakers retained by the council were engaged in hygiene and sanitation activities like cleaning public offices, clearing of streets, opening of blocked drainage ways and pruning of trees along the streets in the municipality.

The 120 young people, drawn from secondary school to university levels, were also assigned to clean markets, parks and other public spaces.

Speaking during the event, the firebrand municipal authority, said the decision to offer the youth an opportunity to serve the municipality is part of the strategy by the council to empower the youth.

Mamfe Mayor immortalising moment with 2024 holiday workers

According to the Mamfe mayor, the intention is to keep the youth busy and distract them from indulging in delinquent acts like drug and alcohol consumption, prostitution, banditry and recruitment by armed separatist groups.

Noting the cosmopolitan nature of his municipality, Tabenchong Ashu said the council adopted an inclusive approach in the selection of holiday workers, with youths from all the four Subdivisions in Manyu notably Akwaya, Eyumojock, Upper Bayang and Mamfe Central, including the physically challenged, displaced persons and non-Manyu indigenes.

To ensure the youth are of civil conduct when they return to school, staff of the Mamfe Youth Empowerment Centre lectured them on moral behaviours and good citizenship, twice weekly.

For their services during the summer vacation, each of the holiday workers were given the sum of 100,000 FCFA.

Mayor Robertson Tabenchong Ashu posing with five best holiday workers

Students urged to shun fear, resume schooling

Beside the cash reward given to the holiday jobbers, the mayor also handed them some didactics like pens, books, rulers and math sets amongst others.

The mayor while handing over the items, urged them to shun fear and to embrace effective school when schools reopen their doors on September 9 to better prepare for their future.

The municipal authority reminded them that if they must be leaders of tomorrow, the choices they make today are crucial and that starts with the decision to go to school, despite the odds.

He equally urged non-students to use the token from the council to begin petit businesses as start-ups.

Mayor Tabenchong Ashu, flanked by youth, speaking to the press after ceremony

Beneficiaries express gratitude

The representative of the holiday workers thanked the pious and softspoken mayor for prioritising the interest of youth in Mamfe and its environs and placing the youth in the forefront of the council’s action plan.

While reflecting on their time with the council, the representative said it was an opportunity to make new friends, learn civic behaviours and source for resources to support their parents for their schooling.

They also thanked the mayor for his largesse in donating didactic material to boost their back-to-school preparations.

Meanwhile, some of the parents present at the ceremony pronounced bountiful blessings on the mayor, for the move to empower their children.

They also expressed the wish to see the council continue to give opportunities to students during holiday periods and upon completion of studies.

It is worth mentioning that the first five best workers were also awarded special prizes by the mayor.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3226 of Wednesday September 11, 2024