Takoradi, June 22, GNA - Mr Kobina Prah Annan, Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) on Monday encouraged students to muste r the courage to report any illegal activities in society to the authoritie s for the necessary action to be taken. "Show concern if somebody is building a structure at unapproved location in your community, litters indiscriminately on the street and at

all public places within your communities," he urged.

The MCE told the students to report such activities immediately and must do that politely. Mr Annan made the call in a speech read for him by Mr Kusi Aboraah,

Western Regional Director of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) at the opening of a four-day workshop on project citizen at Takora di. The workshop was organized by the Project Citizen Ghana in collaboration with the NCCE for over 1,000 students drawn from 15 schools in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis.

It was under the theme; "Consolidating Democracy through Youth Participation," and aims at equipping the students to develop a public policy to solve community problems. Hanns Seidel Foundation sponsored the programme. Mr Annan noted that as the youth were being prepared to take over fr om the present generation, "it required that we inculcate in them the sense of critical thinking, commitment to duty, communal spirit, discipline and th e fear of God".

He therefore commended the Project Citizen Ghana and the NCCE for exposing the students to the interactive programme to make them more patriotic and civic for socio-economic development. In order to become responsible adults, the MCE encouraged students t o take their studies seriously and exhibit cultured behaviour warning that their performance today would determine their future. Mrs Fanny Kusi, National Coordinator of Project Citizen Ghana, said realizing that most students were not conversant with the nation's constitution, initiated the programme to imbibe in them the sense of patriotism.

He expressed the hope that the programme, which started two years ag o, would encourage the youth to assist the country formulate good and effect ive policy. Mr Kusi Aboraah, Regional NCCE Director, appealed to the Ghana Education Service to collaborate with the NCCE to extend the programme to

all districts to ensure that most students benefited from it.