Palmer-Buckle Vacation Youth Camp opens at Koforidua

Koforidua, Aug. 18, GNA - The fifth Bishop Palmer-Buckle Vacation Youth Camp opened on Monday under the theme: "harnessing the latent talents of the Youth for positive development."

The 10-day programme being organised through the efforts of the Catholic Bishop of Koforidua, Very Rev Charles Palmer-Buckle, the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Intravenous Infusions Limited is aimed at helping the youth utilise their leisure hours profitably during this vacation.

The participants would be taken through "religious principles and the youth," "the rights and responsibilities of the child and parents", "the negative effect of Internet on the youth" as well as "examination malpractices and its effects on the youth".

Bishop Palmer-Buckle advised the youth in an address to always be ready to accept the challenges of the world and aim to "go upstream" in order to become useful citizens of the nation.

He, however, cautioned them against current anti-social tendencies like early sex and drinking, which he said, have been destroying some youths these days.

The Managing Director of the Intravenous Infusions Limited, Mr Richard Okra, appealed to the youth to make judicious use of their time. He advised them to utilise every opportunity they have despite the challenges "and never think of moving to somewhere in the big city to look for jobs as others have been doing."

In his welcoming address, the Eastern Regional Director of the Centre for National Culture, Mr. Joseph Kwaku Ankamah, said indiscipline among the youth is a major problem today.

This shown through the violent demonstrations of students against school authorities, destruction of school properties, show of disrespect

to parents as well as indecent dressing. He expressed regret that Ghanaians have relegated the cultural and moral values to the background and urged all to join forces with the Centre to instil in the youth positive values through traditional norms and practices.