Leaders of Asafo Companies have been urged to initiate programmes that would assist chiefs to instill a high sense of discipline in the youth.

Nana Kofi Bentum, the newly-installed Safohen of Gomoa-Amanful in the Central Region, made the call after his installation at Gomoa-Amanful.

Addressing a large crowd of people who attended the ceremony, Nana Bentum, a 48-year-old Chief Fisherman of the Tema-based Fanti Fishing Group, said that it is about time Asafo Companies blended their usual ceremonial function with vital social activities that could bring total economic transformation to the people.

He mentioned issues like teenage pregnancy, armed robbery, indiscipline among the youth, insanitary conditions in towns and villages, as some of the major challenges confronting the nation which require urgent and active involvement of Asafo Companies in finding a lasting solution to them.

According to Nana Bentum, leaders of the various Asafo groups could do this by initiating a special long-term education programme jointly with their chiefs, assembly members and other opinion leaders in their respective communities to effectively sensitize the people on the dangers of posed by the foregoing social cankers.

He was optimistic that since the youth play key roles in the activities of the various Asafo companies, leaders of the Asafo groups can use their medium as a vital platform for chiefs and other opinion leaders to conveniently use them to effect the changes needed to transform the lifestyles of the people, particularly the youth.

Nana Bentum promised to team up with opinion leaders in the Gomoa-Amanful township, to initiate moves to bring all sojourn citizens home, so that they can contribute their quota towards the socio-economic and cultural development of the town.

He appealed to commercial and other drivers who ply the Cape Coast-Accra Highway, to exercise extra caution when performing their duties during and after the yuletide festivities as their contribution towards reducing the increasing carnage on the road.

Ex-Staff Sergeant K. Noonoo (rtd), urged the Asafo Companies and other groups in the rural areas to educate pregnant women regularl;y on their health needs, with the view to reduce drastically the number of maternal and infant mortality rates, the nation had been recording in recent years.

Nana Kweku Samy, Kona Ebusuapanyin of Gomoa-Amanful and the Council of Elders of the town, pledged their full support for the new Safohen and hoped that he would live up to expectation.