Former Attorney-General urges youth to amass wealth genuinely

Accra, Dec. 02, GNA - Mr J. Ayikoi Otoo, Former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice on Saturday urged the youth to desist from amassing wealth through criminal activities.

He said people who indulged in criminal activities to amass wealth, often ended up in prison.

Addressing the 31st Annual Certification Day of Opportunities Industrialization Centre (OIC) in Accra, Mr Otoo urged the graduates to have confidence in themselves and work hard in their chosen vocations to succeed in life.

A total of 335 trainees made up of 193 boys and 142 girls graduated in Carpentry and Joinery, Auto Mechanics, Electrical Installation, Plumbing, Masonry, Catering, Ceramics, Graphic Arts, Textiles, Office and Computer Skills.

=93The certificates you receive today are for you personally and never to be shared, transferred or assigned to others. Your graduation today, should not be the end of your training whether academically or practically,=94 he added.

Mr Otoo urged the graduates to undergo apprenticeship with master craftsmen in their chosen vocation to sharpen their skills. He said every vocation or profession required experience and more exposure to develop and progress.

Mr Otoo said 93There is no blessing in cheating or being dishonest, corrupt and morally deprived. Do not inflate prices for you clients to make quick money. You would lose clients to others and become jobless.=94

Mrs Akosua Frema Osei Opare, Deputy Minister for Manpower, Youth and Employment, said Government would support all forms of youth education, because human resource development was crucial for the country in her quest to become a middle income economy by 2015.

General Emmanuel Erskine (Rtd), Member of the Board of OIC said it was founded by the late Baptist Minister, Dr Leon H. Sullivan to provide a life line to young boys and girls who experienced difficulties in making academic progress in the formal education system.

He said through OIC many boys and girls had been given the opportunity to acquire marketable skills which make them employable in the society.

Gen. Erskine urged parents of the graduates who could afford to send their children to tertiary institutions should endeavour to do so,

'Because life is becoming highly competitive and admission to other higher professional institutions could be beneficial.

Mr K.A. Asante, Programme Manager of OIC, said OIC International in collaboration with USAID had instituted a scholarship scheme for orphans and vulnerable children who were not able to make any bearing in life. =93The scheme is free because the trainee's contribution to training, examination fees, transport fares to school and back and are catered for,=94 he said.

Mr Asante said 69 orphans and vulnerable youth were among the graduates. 02 Dec. 06