Most Rev. Peter Kwaku Atuahene, Bishop of Goaso has called on the youth to actively participate in Church activities to ensure their holistic growth and development.
He urged the youth to be focused, make use of opportunities available to them, develop their talents, live a dignified life, and contribute meaningfully to the growth of the society.
The Bishop made the call during the opening ceremony of this year’s World Youth Day celebration at the St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Kenyasi in the Brong Ahafo Region, on the theme: “Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God”.
He advised young people to be determined, studious, dutiful, truthful, respectful, sincere, dedicated and work hard for more secured future urging them to purify their hearts through prayer and the word of God and strive to be generous to the poor, sick and vulnerable in the society.
He cautioned the youth about the ‘mad rush’ to travel abroad in search of greener pastures, saying that those with such desire easily fell victim to human traffickers, who make empty promises of better jobs abroad.
Bishop Atuahene urged them to create awareness of the evil of human trafficking wherever they found themselves and discourage young people from being lured into this modern day slavery. He used different real life stories of victims and survivors of human trafficking to buttress his point.
The Bishop appealed to them to reciprocate with gratitude all that have been invested in them by applying themselves with total commitment to all the activities slated for the celebration to ensure holistic growth and transformation.
He expressed the hope that at the end of the programme, their lives would become exemplary and a reflection of what they had learnt.
Welcoming the dignitaries and participants, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Asibuo-Kusi the Diocesan Youth Chaplain said the celebration was a prototype of the Ghana Version of the World Youth Day celebration, slated for August this year at Cape Coast and called for support from all to enable the youth in the Diocese participates in the programme.
Activities that marked the celebration included: Cultural displays, Diocesan Youth Music Festival, Indoor Games/Athletics (Marathon race, Volley ball and Soccer), Catechesis, as well as clean up exercise.
Mr. Malogah B. Samuel, Asutifi North District Health Promotion Officer delivered a keynote address on “Sexually transmitted infections among the youth, causes, effects and prevention” entreating the youth to live good moral lives and eschew premarital sex.
Mr. Ernest Amankwah, the Goaso Diocesan Youth Council Chairman indicated that the Council was embarking on a self reliance project and solicited support for its success.
The four–day celebration was attended by about 3,000 youth from all the Parishes in the Diocese.
The opening ceremony was Chaired by Hon. Jerry Opoku Sarfo and attended by Rev. Frs. Felix Twumasi, John Mary Appiadu, Parish Priest and Assistant, Elisha Manu, Assistant Priest, Goaso Cathedral, Mr. Joseph Daha, Member of Parliament, Christian Hevi Afeflu, a Magistrate, Mr. Dampah Edward Dampah-Yin, National Secretary, Ghana National Youth Council, Mr. Robert Bieni and Mr. Gabriel Nyarko, Immediate Past and Present Diocesan Laity Council Chairpersons respectively and many Religious Women.
Bishop Atuahene with some of the dignitaries at the opening ceremony