The Northern Regional office of the Ghana Tourist Authority (GTA)in collaboration with the Ghana Hoteliers Association (GHA) celebrated the Valentine’s Day with a donation to Yumba Special school and Nazareth Home for God’s children at Sang in the Mion district of the Northern Region.
The children, aside receiving the chocolates to mark the day were also treated to free meals.
Other items presented were beverages, toiletries, detergents, buckets, boxes of soap, cartons of soft drinks, toothpastes, biscuits, bags of rice, bail of second hand clothing  among others for the upkeep of the less privilege ones at the cost of over GH3,000.
Valentine’s  day is a day set aside to show love, affection and appreciation to loved ones in the society.
Presenting the items at different occasions, the Senior Resource Officer of GTA Mr Jonathan Twum Osae who represented the Acting Regional Manager Mr Alexander Nketia said the gesture forms part of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the two in giving back to society in which they operate.
He noted that showing love to the less privilege ones in society helps to reduce stigmatisation against the children and also to make them feel part of society.
“We have been supporting children within our operational areas every year to enable them know that they have parents who care of them and also behind them in nurturing them for a better future,” he said. Â
“Last year,we took them on an educational trip to Mole national park,mystery stone as well the Laranbanga Mosque to showcase the cultural to the region to the young ones” he said.
The Authority he stressed had been creating the awareness on the need to educate the younger ones to value their cultural heritage.
“Valentine day should be used to extend support to the less privilege ones as well educate the youths  on the benefits of the various tourism sites to human life” he said.
An executive member of GHA Mr Gilbert Dery also called for advocacy to solicit support for the less privilege ones saying government and few people cannot alone help to bring up the little ones.
If we are able to harness the potential of the less privilege ones,it will help them become good future leaders as seen by certain people contributing to the national economy.
He reiterated the commitment of the Association band GTA to collaborate with the school authorities build up good future leaders.
The Headmaster of Yumba School Mr Tutu Brempong expressed gratitude to the institutions for their support saying the items will help ensure the welfare of the less ones.
We cannot quantify the support GTA has been doing for our school every year with the celebrating of the chocolate day with our children that out smiles on their faces during the festivity.
He therefore appealed for support for the provision of logistics, teaching and learning materials, accommodation for the children and teachers to ensure effective and efficient nurturing of our future leaders.
The In charge of the of Nazareth Home Rev Sister Stan Terese Mario Mumuni also expressed gratitude to the organisations saying the children are always happy when they see people coming to spend some time with them.
She also appealed for support for the construction of school block, clinic and other facilities that will ensure the effective nurturing of the less privilege ones.
