Dr Ephraim Avea Nsoh, the Upper West Regional Minister, has called on districts chief executives to create platforms for senior citizens in the region to interact with the youth and inculcate in them the sense of patriotism.

He said the influence of foreign cultures, misplaced modernisation, materialism and greed were eroding the moral fibre in Ghana and appealed to senior citizens to help address them.

“It is necessary to create more space and opportunity at all levels to enable our senior citizens share their experiences with the youth as a way of inculcating useful values into them.

“Senior citizens need to constantly recall the history of the country to the youth to enable them appreciate the values of nation building, so as to help them sacrifice and work hard for the nation,” he said.

Dr Nsoh made the call at this year’s Senior Citizens Day celebration in Wa on Monday, to mark Ghana’s 53rd Republic Day.

The occasion was also used to acknowledge the hard work and sacrifice of the senior citizens which had helped to lay the foundation pillars for the progress and development of the nation.

Dr Nsoh called on stakeholders in the region to be wary of chieftaincy and land disputes in some of the communities, which he said, had the potential of creating conflicts and disunity among the people.

Mr Alhassan bin Salih, a former Principal Secretary, called on the youth to take education seriously as it was the only thing that would help improve their lives and reduce poverty in the region.

Some of the senior citizens called for the review of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust Pension scheme because the monthly allowance paid to them was inadequate and could not cater for their basic needs.

They also called on the government to consider engaging those of them who had expert skills to enable them to continue contributing their quota to national development.

Some Former Regional Ministers, traditional rulers, queenmothers, retired civil and public servants, districts chief executives, and some heads of departments attended the forum.

Awards were given to some senior citizens for their contribution to the development of the region.