Osabarima Antwi Agyei V, Chief of Okadjakrom, in the Jasikan District of the Volta Region, has called on individuals, organizations and government to collaborate efforts to fight against the upsurge of immorality and indiscipline among the youth for national development. He said there is the urgent need “to liberate the youth from bondage of occultism, arrogance, rape, prostitution, alcoholism, drug abuse, armed robbery, pick-pocketing, disrespect for authority and the elderly and other social vices.” Osabarima Agyei, who is also Twafohene of the Buem Traditional, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Okadjakrom on Saturday, said he feared that if care is not taken, “the country would be hijacked by destructive, rude, undisciplined and unruly youth.” He said the New Education Reform might suffer a setback despite the huge investment being made by parents and government in education if moral degeneration, teenage pregnancy, absenteeism, school drop out and laziness among school children were not checked. Osabarima Agyei urged government to ensure the establishment of guidance and counseling units in all educational institutions in the country, especially basic schools, to promote discipline and career development. He urged district, municipal and metropolitan assemblies to enact byelaws to ban children from patronizing drinking bars and video centers and other entertainment spots and also from attending funerals and other social ceremonies. Osabarima Agyei noted that children, who attended such functions and spots, smoked cigarette, took alcoholic drinks, used drugs, engaged in gambling, watched pornographic materials and engaged in hooliganism and sexual promiscuity. He commended non-governmental organizations for complementing government efforts at providing educational infrastructure and materials but advised that their programmes should also be designed towards the psychological development of children Osabarima Agyei urged parents to take advantage of government‘s policies such as the Capitation Grant and School Feeding Programme and send the children to school, saying education was the best legacy parents could bequeath to their children. He also advised parents not to relegate the training of their children to school authorities alone and expressed dissatisfaction that some of them spend most of their time chasing money and wealth at the expense of their children’s welfare and development. Osabarima Agyei observed that urbanization and modernization have rendered puberty rites and other ways of traditional child training outmoded and ineffective and called on religious organizations to help mould the character of the youth. He reminded the youth that they were future leaders and should, therefore, take their studies seriously to enable them to acquire skills and knowledge required for national development. Osabarima Agyei warned “that without good quality education and discipline the youth of our country would be left behind the current pace of globalization and technological advancement.” Source: GNA