Accra, July 1, GNA - Captain Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey (rtd), Deputy Interior Minister, on the occasion of Ghana's Republic Day urged the youth to live a disciplined lifestyle that would carve a good future for them. He said indiscriminate sexual activities, drinking and smoking were three things that had destroyed and continued to shatter the lives of most youth because they seemed often not to have the will power to control or say no to them.

Capt Effah-Dartey said this when he addressed hundreds of youths at a seminar organised by the Perfector Of Sentiments (POS) Foundation, under the theme: "Making Discipline a Culture of Ghanaians." The Foundation is a non-profit, non-political body made up of young enterprising Ghanaians who seek to promote the positive interest of the youth and develop them for the benefit of the country.

Capt Effah-Dartey said opportunity and time were on the side of the youth to correct most of the wrongs they were doing today saying: "You have to make the necessary amends today, otherwise you will regret later." He said besides body discipline, they should also observe the way they spent their time and even the little or few resources that might come their way because they could also largely impact on their lives.

"When you joke with your time, you will be sorry and by this time you should know that your friends, who come to you to waste your time are those you should hate most," he said. Speaking on youth and violence, Mr Isaac Owusu-Mensah of the Office of the NEPAD Secretariat, said with good vision and sense of purpose, as well as developing the will to refrain from delinquent youth gangs, the youth could achieve their future dreams and aspirations. He advised the youth to be wary of the influence which their leaders especially politicians would exert on them to cause violence adding: "These people usually hide behind and exploit you to achieve their goals."

Touching on the purpose of the seminar, Mr Jonathan Osei Owusu, the Leader of the Foundation, said it was aimed principally at behavioural change through making discipline a genuine culture or an integral part of Ghanaians.