Review pre-marital courtship - Youth Leader

Dormaa-Ahenkro (B/A), Aug. 28, GNA - A Pentecost Youth Leader has blamed the spread of the HIV virus partly on society's endorsement of pre-marital courtship between prospective couples.

The practice, he said, seems to be creating a fertile ground to breed promiscuity and moral decadence especially among the youth who are anxious to exploit all sorts of situations to their advantage. Pastor Maxwell Asiedu Adubofour, the Berekum Area Leader of the Pentecost Youth made the point at this year's Annual Area Youth Camp at Dormaa-Ahenkro which brought together 1,200 youth drawn from the Area's 20 Pentecostal districts.

Pastor Adubofour deplored the comfort and ease with which traditional authorities, religious leaders and families handle the issue of pre-marital courtship attributing their behaviour to having too much confidence in their children.

"Since most of the courtship aim at eventual marriages without recourse to any form of counselling and clinical tests to ascertain the HIV status of the couples-to-be, there is the likelihood that whole nuclear families can fall prey to the disease", the youth leader remarked.

Pastor Adubofour declared that the only means by which the youth could avoid being infected with the HIV virus is to stay clear of pre-marital sex.

On the Youth and Discipline, the youth leader was of the view that the younger generation could improve upon their level of discipline if they take steps to distinguish between traditional and exotic demands of society.

He urged the youth to always consider what they can do to meaningfully contribute to the welfare of their communities rather than waiting for society to provide them with non-existing white-collar jobs.

The Dormaa District Chief Executive, (DCE) Squadron Leader (retired) Benjamim Anane-Asamoah tasked the youth to translate their belief in the word of God into deeds and let them transcend the boundaries of the church for non-believers to emulate.

Sqd-Leader Anane-Asamoah disagreed with parents who leave their young adults to fend for themselves simply because they are above 18 years irrespective of their level of academic and job placement.

He however, indicateD that sound parental relationship with children depends largely on the latter's preparedness to pay heed to laid-down principles in the family and society as a whole.

The DCE reminded the youth to get actively involved in the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS) Concept explaining that the youth who constitute the bulk of the nation's workforce should not be left to fall prey to curable and preventable diseases.

In his sermon to round off the five-day long camp, the Nkrankwanta District Pastor of the Church of Pentecost Reverend Paul Quansah asked the youth to let their life shine in consonance with the words of the Holy Bible.

"By this," he said, "the youth can prove to the whole nation that the Christian faithful has a lot to offer, even to society's earthly development."

Rev. Quansah expressed the hope that proceedings at the camp would refresh the participants enough to lead lives worthy of emulation by those who are weak in spirit.

Highlights of this year's camp included counseling especially on the HIV/AIDS, Peer interaction and Song Ministration by all 20 districts from the area. Aug. 28 05