Asafoatse Bebe Foli Kangni Mathais sitting on the stool and holding the walking stick
The acting chief of Amomole and head of the Okortsoshishi family at James Town, Accra, has appealed to the government, the clergy, and the chiefs to do something drastic to stop the excessive gambling and betting of the youth.
He said it was not uncom¬mon to see the numerous gaming and gambling centres, full to the brim by the idle youth and students. It could destroy their future, he said.
Nii Ashittey Tetteh made the appeal last Saturday during the celebration of the Homowo festival by the Okort¬soshishi families from both home and abroad.
He said this gambling addict could be minimised or eliminated if government pro¬vided these idle youths with employable and self-sustaining jobs.
“Some use their school fees to gamble,” he lamented.
Nii Ashittey Tetteh said such family gathering during the Homowo celebrations, presented a perfect oppor¬tunity to talk to the youth about the dangers of gambling and other vices like stealing, engaging in drugs, prostitution and other social vices.
He said the Homowo festi¬val is not only about feasting and merry making, but also a rallying point to teach them centuries-old traditions and customs of the Ga people who migrated from Notsie in Togo to settle in Ghana.
He said the Homowo fes¬tival was a sacred event as preparations towards its cele¬bration included the teaching of chastity, housekeeping and general hygiene of young girls before they married.
The young boys he said, were taught honesty, hard work, courtship traditions and customs before they were ushered into marriage.
The acting Ga-Mantse (Ge Tiega) in Togo, Asafoatse Bebe-Foli Kangni Mathias who led a delegation of Ga-Adang¬be people from Togo, was honoured by the Okortsoshishi family.
He was presented with a citation, a stool, a walk¬ing stick and other gifts for promoting unity between the Ga- Adangbe people and that of Togo for several years.