The Archbishop of the Internal Province Church of Ghana and Bishop of Asante Mampong, in the Ashanti Region, Most Rev. Dr. Cyril Ben-Smith has charged the government to assist the youth to turn their energies into profitable ventures.
This follows what he described as the ‘get rich quick mentality widely driven by the emerging evangelization of some modern churches that only focus on wealth creation.’ The situation has spurred moral decadence particularly among the youth, he added.
Also, he asserted that the seeming failure to purposefully deal with the growing apprehension among the youths has partly contributed to the rising indiscipline in the Ghanaian society.
“A lot of our young people would not be where they are if people are talking to them in a nice way. We are only insulting the youths most of the time. We are shouting at them. Even at home, he’s been shouted upon.
Meanwhile, a quiet or gentle word to him would make a lot of difference,” he stated. The approach to tackling challenges posed by the youths is an important phase in nation-building. This is against the background that the youths are the future of every country.
It is in view of this that he charged all stakeholders to support efforts to create enabling environment that can make the youths more enterprising while also urging more young people to enter into agriculture.
While saying farming should be taken as a serious business, he bemoaned the lack of access to credit.
The provision of credit facilities to support enterprises like farming would significantly reduce social vices, he observed.
Most Rev. Dr. Ben-Smith who was speaking in an interview at the back of the 14th National Biennial Conference, of the National Anglican Clergy Spouses Association, at Asante Mampong urged people to take personal responsibilities to help develop the country.
“While the government has a responsibility to develop the country, people must also do their bit.”
The 14th National Biennial Conference, of the National Anglican Clergy Spouses Association, was held under the theme “Working as Unto God.”
Most Rev. Dr. Ben-Smith acknowledged that the wives of priests are the ‘basic model of mothers’ in the church, and, therefore, called for them, and all mothers in prominent positions to be accorded all the respect they deserve.
The President of the Anglican National Clergy Spouses Association President, Mother Ann Osei, said mothers play an important role in building a disciplined society. She, therefore, called on women, and mothers in particular, not to renege on their responsibilities at home.
This, according to her, informed the theme for the 14th Biennial Conference.
The guest speaker for the ceremony, Mr. William Kusi Esq., of Dominion Chambers in Kumasi, noted that the Clergy Spouses Association are better positioned to influence the youths positively if given the needed support.
Against this background, he said the Clergy Spouses Association must be projected to help bring down the ‘canker of indiscipline’ seen in Ghanaian society today.
“As far as the family is concerned broken-homes has been one of the reasons why children are wayward including the upsurge in child labor issues. However, with the Clergy Spouses in a good position, they would be able to educate women in these circumstances not to go back on their responsibilities as mothers.”
