The El-Wak Keep fit Club, a fitness club in Accra on Thursday launched its 20th edition of the annual Republic Day walk slated for July 1.
The walk, since its inception has been to encourage the citizenry to exercise regularly to improve their fitness and strength to enhance their general wellbeing.
It is also to celebrate the day which marked Ghana’s transition to become an independent Republic.
To be held on the theme “Stay Healthy, Stay Wealthy,” the day would draw scores of people from various keep fit clubs in Accra as well ascorporate bodies, churches and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s).
The Director of Human Resource at the Ministry of Youth and Sports,MrEric Mensah-Bonsu, who represented the Minister of Youth and Sportsadvised Ghanaians to prioritise their fitness.
He said physical exercise helped burn a lot of calories and played a key role in improving ones health to prevent chronic diseases, adding that “embarking on such walks have kept some life diseases away, like the diabetes, high blood pressure and many others as we say, exercising three times a week keeps the doctor away.”
Mr Mensah-Bonsu stated that sustaining the noble event for two decades underscored the importance the club members attach to their health and commitment to the club’s cause, having participated in the walk all these years.
He advised the club to also liaise with other stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Health (MoH), the Ghana Heath Service (GHS) and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) among others to assist and support their health programmes and interventions.
Contributing,Dr Stephen Bani, entreated all to partake in the walk as it would help reduce their medical bills and shield them against certain ailments.
“What we want are healthy individuals to make a healthy nation, so we should all come together to support the vision to make it a success,” he reiterated.
On the part of the President of National Sports for All Association of Ghana (NASFAAG), a national umbrella body for fitness clubs across the country, Nana AduMankatta II expressed optimism that over 50 Keep Fit Clubs from all walks of life would join on the day.
That, he said, wouldprovide a good platform for networking hence encouraged the public, including the young and old to get involved when the time was due.
BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY
