SMUGGLING ACTIVITIES RETARD YOUTH EDUCATION (Page 26)

Story: Tim Dzamboe, Agotime-Kpetoe

AN educationist at the Volta Regional directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mr Robert Kofi Ayitah, has observed that the education of the youth of border communities is retarded by smuggling activities because the youth prefer smuggling to schooling.
He said border towns in which special skills and trades like Kente weaving were practised suffered a doubled agony of child labour in which children were engaged in skill training to the detriment of their education.
Mr Ayitah was addressing a durbar to mark the 10th anniversary celebration of the Silver Youth Club of Agotime-Kpetoe in the Adaklu-Anyigbe District last weekend.
He has, therefore, appealed to civil society organisations and pressure groups to embark on a series of interventions to reverse the trend in the area by encouraging the youth to take their education seriously, since it was the backbone of every endeavour in life.
In an address, the Member of Parliament for Ho-East, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, enjoined the community to support the club, since the members were purposeful and positive, minded.
A prominent citizen, Mr D.D. Dzorkpe, advised members to bury their differences and discrimination because they constituted the pitfalls to earlier initiatives.
He advised them not to meddle in politics, adding that it was causing destruction in the cohesion of many communities in the country.
The immediate past president of the club, Mr Elvis Ativoe, said it was the vision of the club to set a stage for future generations of the town, declaring that “the future of the next generation should be better than ours”.
He appealed to mothers to take care of their children, and that they should not relax, since the future of Agotime had started with zeal.
In a speech, the President of the club, Mr Elvis Amenyitor, said the club had chalked modest successes in all facets of development.
He said the club was currently building a state-of-the-art modern library and Information and Communication Technology complex for the whole district.
He said the club looked forward to serving as the pathfinder in bringing all youth groups under the common umbrella for moving the development agenda of Agotime into top gear.
Mr Amenyitor stressed that the development of the human capital through formal education was one key issue at the heart of the club because a well-developed human resource helped to overcome poverty and squalor.
Certificates of honour were presented to 50 citizens whose contributions had been recognised as fulfilling to the vision of the club.
Other speakers were Professor Akept Adzima, Mama Avorkpo, Nene Ahortor Makaku and the assembly member, who reiterated issues on education, gender development, child education and women development.