Training of the youth should include Christian values- Owusu-Ankomah

Koforidua, Aug.28, GNA- The Minister of the Interior Papa Owusu-Ankomah has said the training of the youth should not be limited to only academic and professional pursuits but it should include values which Christians and traditional society cherish. Papa Owusu-Ankomah, who was speaking at the Methodist Church of Ghana's Connexional Christ's Little Band's biennial delegates conference at Koforidua on Friday, observed that the kind of leaders that the nation would have in future depended on the values imparted to the youth today.

He, therefore, charged parents to teach their children to uphold truthfulness, obedience, respect for authority, sacrifice and charity, "so as to instil in them the values we expect them to carry over in the future."

Papa Owusu-Ankomah expressed concern at the negative tendencies that were reflecting in the society, even in the midst of Christians and adults who were supposed to show example for others to follow. He, therefore, asked Christians to let their values be felt in the society, adding that, "the fact that Christians are in the majority in the country, gives credence to the fact that the Christian way of parenting can change the negative tendencies in our society."

"The youth of today should be made to appreciate the fact that there are no shortcuts to a good life, but the best way we, as parents can teach our children is to live such lives ourselves," he stressed. The Minister pointed out that it was unfortunate that many churches were preaching success and prosperity "without teaching how such success and riches are obtained" and called on Ghanaians to reject such teachings and use the appropriate way of hard work to become what they want to be.

Papa Owusu-Ankomah said, "this concept of prosperity being emphasized in some of our churches tend to spread the belief that morality should be secondary to being rich," adding that, this had resulted in many people engaging in activities which undermined the societies in which they live.

He mentioned bribing to get contracts, drug trafficking without regard to its effect on people and unhealthy public utterances, as the outcome of the breakdown of morals and values of the society and the Christianity and called on Christians to stand up to their calling and impact on society and the nation.

He commended the Christ Little Band for their contribution to the growth and achievement of the Church, citing their "abibidwom" (traditional songs) and urged them to strive to evangelise to win more souls to God and to the Church.