Mumford (C/R), April 29, GNA - The Assemblyman for Penkye Electoral area of Mumford in Gomoa District, Mr. Samuel Bentum has called on the district, municipal and metropolitan assemblies to stop granting licenses to people who operate gambling machines because they corrupt the youth, especially school children.

He expressed regret that though the assemblies knew very well that granting permits for gambling services is not always in the interest of the people, yet they did so because of money only to turn round to complain about the negative effects of such games on the environment. Mr Bentum made the appeal at a seminar on responsible parenting, organized jointly by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, the National Council on Women and Development and Ghana National Commission on Children, at Mumford on Tuesday.

Miss Gladys Nyinaku, Central Regional Women's Organizer of the New Patriotic Party admonished parents to see themselves as the frontline teachers and lead responsible lifestyles for the children to follow.

She reminded them to regard their children as the greatest property and invest in their development.

In a speech read on behalf of Mrs Gladys Asmah, Minister of Women and Children Affairs, expressed concern about engaging young children in trading and other forms of labour by their single parents due to their poor financial positions in the home.

Mrs Asmah condemned child trafficking and cautioned parents to refrain from selling their children into slavery to fishermen at Yeji. Participants at the seminar could not hold back their tears as they heard Nana Akraman Effirim, Chief Fisherman of Mumford, narrate the agony of a boy who spent eight years in slavery at Yeji.

The forum also heard how one of the boys, who was rescued from slavery in the Yeji area became the best science student at Apam Secondary School.