Students cautioned against violent behaviour

Tudents have been cautioned to stay away from violent demonstrations, destruction of school and private properties.

Moreover, they have also been urged to stay away from illicit drugs, as those could predispose them to imprisonment.

The caution was given by the National Chairman of the International Prison Chaplains Association (IPCA) Ghana, Rev. Steve Mensah, during an Anti-Crime Talk at St Augustine’s College at Cape Coast in the Central Region.

IPCA has held similar talks in the Greater Accra and Eastern regions to educate students on actions that are taken for granted but could land them in jail. 

Maiden

The talk at St Augustine’s College was the maiden one in the Central Region.

Topics covered during the session included 'Staying Away from Illicit Drugs ', 'What sends young people to jail and why they must be avoided' and 'Maintaining a good character whilst in school '.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Rev. Mensah, who is also the founding Chairman of IPCA Ghana and a retired banker, said IPCA was concerned about the high numbers of young people in prison and, therefore, decided to educate young people, particularly students in senior high school (SHSs), to avoid prison.

Rev. Mensah, a former Executive Director of Vision Fund, was delighted at the seriousness shown by the students and the relevant questions they asked.

An executive member of IPCA, Rev. CSP Adubaw Ogoe, told the students that conditions in prisons could be harsh and it was, therefore, important that they concentrated on their studies and other productive activities and avoid wrong habits like stealing, fighting, womanising and possession of dangerous weapons, which could lead them to prison. 

Mal-effect

For his part, Rev. Emmanuel Kangah, who is also a former Prison Officer and a member of IPCA, detailed the mal-effects of illicit drugs, stressing that it was important for students to distance themselves from peers who could lead them to illicit drugs.

“There are too many young people in prison because of illicit drugs,” he stressed.

The Central Region Chairman of IPCA Ghana, Rev. Dr Evans Ekanem, said members of the association were poised to cover as many SHSs as possible in the region with the anti-crime talk.

The Headmaster of the school, Rev. Fr Dr Patrick Appiah, said the talk was relevant and would certainly be useful to his students and commended IPCA for the initiative.