Youth council in Mt Hagen working to inspire change

MEMBERS of the Hagen Central youth development council in Western Highlands took part in a major clean-up programme in Mt Hagen yesterday and advocated against littering, drinking in public, petty crimes and disorder in the city.
The youth council, which is made up of young men from the 48 wards in the two local level governments (LLGs) – Hagen Rural (40 wards) and Urban (8 wards), have taken the lead to make the city cleaner and safer for residents and visitors.
The group’s first cleanathon was staged last September.
Chairman Philip Mumukri said with the increase in informal sector activities there other behaviour such as drinking in public, disorder, petty crimes and littering had also risen and they wanted to work to discourage those attitudes and activities.
Mumukri said change started with each person and then groups.
He said the city’s reputation had been affected by these issues and it was up to its own residents, especially the youth, to work for positive change. He said a cleanathon was practical and an activity that could build positive attitudes to the community. Mumukri said the council was carrying out the activity without expecting anything in return and only wanted to set a good example for the people to follow.