A 16-year-old JHS dropout who found and returned a lost wallet of the Executive Director of the West Africa Centre for Counter Extremism, Mutaru Mumuni Muqthar, between Gbungbaliga and Bimbila in the Northern Region has received GH₵6,200 as a reward for his exemplary ethical conduct.
The money is to support his return to school.
On April 23, 2025, Nfoye Jonas, from Kpalsogni, a village about 20 minutes from Yendi, was running an errand on a motorbike when he spotted a purse lying by the roadside.
Without opening it, Jonas took the purse home and handed it over to his uncle, Mr. Emmanuel Bigbei. Upon discovering the valuable contents, Mr. Bigbei accompanied Jonas to Sankara Radio in Yendi, where the wallet was given to the station’s manager, David Takal, hoping the rightful owner would come forward.
The wallet, which belonged to the Executive Director of the West Africa Centre for Counter Extremism, contained several valuable items, including VISA cards, GH₵2,530, USD180, 2,000 CFA, a Voter’s ID card, a driver’s license, and a Ghana Card.
Mr. Muqthar, who was on a security mission in Northern Ghana, lost the wallet while driving at night between Yendi and Wulensi. After realising it was missing, he took to Facebook to appeal to the public for help in locating it.
Fortunately, the manager of Sankara Radio, Mr. Takal, saw the post and immediately contacted Mr. Muqthar to inform him that the lost wallet with all its contents intact had been found and handed over by Jonas.
“My team and I drove from Wulensi to Yendi to retrieve the purse,” Mr. Muqthar recounted.
Mr. Muqthar said he was humbled by the extraordinary honesty and kindness shown by Jonas and his family. “This is an improbable display of the true values of patriotism and honesty,” he added.
Jonas is an orphan
Jonas is an orphan. His father passed away three years ago when he was in JHS 1. Since then, his uncle, Mr. Bigbei, took over responsibility for his education.
However, he soon became unable to afford Jonas’ school fees, forcing the young boy to drop out of school. Despite several attempts to return to the classroom, Jonas eventually gave up due to the financial burden on his family.
The family had been considering enrolling him in a vocational skills training program, though they had yet to identify a suitable one.
When Jonas found the purse, it contained GH₵2,530, USD180, and 2,000 CFA Francs. Still, he and his family never considered keeping the money. They were determined to return it to its rightful owner because they believed it was the right thing to do, even if it meant traveling to Yendi twice.
With their own motorbike out of service, Jonas and his uncle borrowed one from a neighbour to make the trip to Sankara Radio in Yendi and hand over the wallet.
“These are the true heroes of our society. We need to preserve such values and inspire new generations of honest and patriotic citizens,” Mr. Muqthar said.
In recognition of Jonas’s rare honesty, moral courage, and patriotism, Mr. Muqthar launched a fundraising appeal on Facebook to support his return to school. He began the campaign with an initial donation of GH₵1,000 and added another GH₵1,000 as seed money to inspire others to contribute.
Over GH₵6,000 to support Jonas’ education or career development
A total of GH₵6,200 was raised to support Jonas’ education or career development. Over the weekend, Mr. Muqthar returned to the community to meet Jonas and his family and officially present the funds.
He shared that when residents heard the man whose wallet Jonas had returned was visiting, many community members came out of their homes to welcome him.
“We held a meeting with the family. We were heartily and warmly welcomed,” Mr. Muqthar said. “I expressed my gratitude, respect, and admiration for the kind of child they were raising. Jonas’s conduct will remain a shining example for society and those who come after him. Such admirable examples in our younger generation must not go unnoticed.”
The money was presented to Jonas as a contribution from well-wishers who were touched by his honesty. It is intended to support his return to school or to fund his vocational training, depending on the family’s decision.
“They promised to use the money for Jonas’ career development in glassmaking. We tried not to make this an emotional encounter, so they could enjoy the moment. They were full of excitement.”
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