Awutu-Odumase (C/R), Sept. 14, GNA- About 1300 volunteers working in 57 communities within the catcement area of the Awutu-Bawjiase Porgramme Unit of Planned Ghana were on Friday given special awards by the organisation in rercognistion of their good works.

More than 3000, including chiefs, unit and district assemblies members attended the function which was addressed simultaneously by Dr Derrick Aryeh, Programme Service Manager of Planned Ghana, Mrs. Emelia Allan, Bawjiase Programme Area manager and Mr David Pobee, the Assemblyman for Aderful/Samso/Bontrase electoral area who chaired the function.

Dr. Aryeh said both local and foreign directors of planned Ghana deeply appreciated the dedicated and devoted and high sense of commitment which most volunteers attached to their work during the past year and advised them to maintain the tempo of their patriotism. He said the work of the volunteer, the world over had gone a long way to assist Planned International, now known as Planned Ghana to fulfil its obligations to needy children.

Mrs. Allan announced plans to review the selection criterion for volunteers in order to get the right calibre of people to perform the voluntary duty, which the organization needed to raise the socio-economic and health requirements of selected communities in which Planned operated.

She has therefore, advised volunteers whose contribution fell below standard to examine their contribution critically and make amendments to enable the organization to maintain them in the coming year.

She said even though |Planned Ghana needed more volunteers to supplement its operations in the rural areas, it would not entertain the type of volunteers who were not prepared to live up to expectation.

On behalf of the Awutu-Effutu Senya District Assembly, and the ward recipient, Mr Pobee thanked Planned Ghana for expressing its appreciation to the volunteers as well as the immense educational and health projects it had implemented for the people in the district within the past 20 year.

The voluntary groups for which the 1300 volunteers were selected included, Peer education group, Dada's Club, Mothers Support, Sponsorship, Water and Sanitation, Traditional Birth Attendants.