BE ALIVE TO CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES...Bishop Lodonu urges Christian Youth (PAGE 40)

THE Catholic Bishop of the Ho Diocese, Most Reverend Francis A.K. Lodonu has urged Christian youth to be alive to their civic responsibilities.
That, he stressed, was the only way of checking the high incidence of indiscipline, drug abuse, immorality and other criminal activities in the country.
Bishop Lodonu said this at the weekend when he addressed the passing out ceremony of 43 police cadets trained at the Ho Police Training Depot for the Sacred Heart Cathedral of the church.
He said the society always looked up to the police for help in maintaining law and order but as they were inadequate, they could not be everywhere at the same time, adding that the situation had given rise to lawlessness, especially at funerals, where the attendants had been going on the streets and assuming unimaginable authority, irrespective of the risk they faced.
He said the first batch of the cadets was a dream come true to complement the efforts of the regular police personnel to maintain law and order in the communities.
The bishop urged other parishes in the diocese in particular and all religious bodies in general to follow the example of the Sacred Heart Cathedral Catholic youth cadets to help the police in combating crime effectively in order to make communities safe.
In an inaugural address, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) in charge of the Volta Region, Mrs Rose Bio Atinga said the aim of the cadets corps was to make students to grow up to be responsible citizens through their training and share knowledge with their peers.
She said the cadets would assist the police in crime prevention, adding that they would help in developing the spirit of volunteerism and community service among students.
She said currently there were about 20 police cadets in the country who had helped to develop better understanding between the police personnel and students, as well as the youth in general.
Mrs Atinga advised the cadets to serve as “ears and eyes” of the police in their communities and be able to detect crime.