Elite urged to facilitate academic pursuits

The Paramount Chiefs of the Abutia and Fodome traditional areas have called on their educated citizenry to mobilise resources to spur pupils and students from their respective areas to attain greater academic laurels.

Togbe Gbedegbleme Honu III, Fiaga of Fodome traditional area and Togbe Gidi V, Fiaga of Abutia traditional made the call in addresses at a durbar at Fodome-Helu to climax their "Yorveawoza".

"The educated from Abutia and Fodome should support the youth to get along academically", Togbe Gidi said.

He said there was the need for the two traditional areas to deliberate over the future of education for their people because of its immense potential benefits.

The ancestors of Fodome and Abutia traditional areas were said to belong together as one distinct community among the several Ewe communities that made up the ancient Nortsie kingdom where they were reputed for their longevity and wisdom hence the name "Yorveawo" literally meaning the people who dislike going to the grave.

Togbe Gbedegbleme said the two traditional areas ought to pay attention to formal education towards realizing their aim of developing their human resources.

He said education was the surest means by which one generation of 'Yorveawo" could handover its culture and civilization to the next generation", and also break away from the stranglehold of poverty.

Togbe Gbedegbleme therefore appealed to the government to upgrade the Fodome Community Senior High School to the status of government assisted Senior High School.

"The people of Abutia and Fodome are very much appreciative of the bold steps taken by the current administration to redress the socio-economic problems of this country", he said.

In an address, Mr Joseph Nayan, Deputy Volta Regional Minister recounted the initiatives of government to improve incomes of the citizenry as well as education specific initiatives to ease the education burden on parents and motivate children to be interested in formal education.

"As parents, we also have to ensure that we play our role in promoting the education of our children. Let us guide them and bring them up responsibly," he said.

Mr. Nayan said, what the children required most from their parents were the provision of their basic needs and moral encouragement.

He said parents ought to avoid activities that hinder their children's sound mental development.