Cape Coast, July 16, GNA – Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, the Paramount Chief of Oguaa Traditional Area, has expressed concern over the number of street children in Cape Coast and appealed to churches in the area to “stand-up” and evolve strategies that would curb the phenomenon. He said the time had come for parents to be more responsible and to refrain from pushing their children onto the streets to face challenges that are detrimental to their development.
Osabarima Kwesi Atta said this on Sunday when he addressed the congregation of the Pedu/Abura Ebenezer Presbyterian Church at Abura, a suburb of Cape Coast, to climax the 10th anniversary of the church. He said it was disheartening the way some parents had little or no time for their children.
“It is not enough for parents to just dump money on their children to fend for themselves without considering what they actually need. Let us give our children parental love and have time for their physical and spiritual growth.”
He said lack of parental care and attention had been the major cause of the increased moral decadence, streetism and child delinquency. Osabarima Kwesi Atta commended the Pedu Ebenezer Presbyterian Church for what it has achieved over the past 10 years and urged the members to remain committed to its growth and development.
In a sermon Reverend William Appiah, the Western Presbytery Chairman, called on Ghanaians to appreciate the peace the nation was enjoying and continue to give thanks and praise to God, adding “without him the nation would have found itself in crisis”.
He said the nation might be going through some difficulties such as loading shedding and other minor problems but it was still far better than other countries that continue to recognize Ghana as “heaven”. Reverend Dr Eric Anum, the resident pastor, said the church started with 35 members in 1997 and now has more than 300. Seventy children were graduated from Sunday school to Junior Youth and 21 from Junior Youth to Young People’s Guild.
