Accra, June 28, GNA – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has organised a two-day conference for members on ways to strengthen family ties to avoid broken homes.
Elder Hugo E. Martinez, the President of Africa West Area of the Church, said broken homes came with social challenges such as drug addiction and teenage pregnancy, hence the conference to educate the public on strategic ways of strengthening the family.
It was on the theme: “Strengthening the Rising Generation,” and brought participants from Sierra Leone, Senegal, Germany, Liberia, and Cote d’Ivoire, while others joined virtually.
He described the family as the basic unit of society that formed the most effective catalyst for positive solutions to social issues.
Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the Ga Mantse, who presided, lauded the Church for making strides in educating the youth to make informed decisions in terms of marriage to avoid broken homes.
He called for public support to sustain Technical, Vocational Education and Training and other entrepreneurial programmes to cushion the youth, especially the girl-child, in their transitional period.
Mrs Dié Marie Faye, the Family Promotion Officer, at the Directorate for the Family and Protection of Vulnerable Groups of the Ministry of Women, Family, Gender and Child Protection in Senegal, said a child could not rely on the parents forever, therefore, the need for every child to be serious with education to become fully independent after school.
She advised the youth to be submissive to their parents and accept corrections to become responsible adults in future.
Madam Tiffany Ivins Spence, the Director of Community Development Network – USA, appreciated the efforts in changing lives in Asia, Africa and Latin America through literacy programmes.
She said education was the power of all trade and skills so the youth should serve as bridges of literacy from developed to less developed areas and champion the family’s role in income generation.
Ms Ahimin Yokou Sylvie Rosebelle, the Deputy Director, Family Promotion Department of the Ministry of Family, Women and Children in Cote d’Ivoire, expressed concern over the negative impact of COVID- 19 of families, which had worsened the life of the youth in education, occupation and revenue.
She called on governments to get together to find lasting solutions to bringing life back to normalcy.
The conference was organised in collaboration with Ghana’s Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Department of Social Welfare, African Business Centre for Developing Education, Community Development Network, Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit, National Commission for Civic Education, and Interweave Solutions.
GNA