Ghana’s Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Kale Caesar, has told religious organisations and local communities across the country to discourage ill-gotten wealth, trading it in for values of honesty, hard work and discipline.

Mr Caesar highlighted the fact that many communities were turning a blind eye to bad sources of income and that this was setting a negative precedent for society.

According to the Ghana News Agency, he said: “It is only after re-embracing these laudable societal values of hard work, honesty, discipline and chastity that our fight against vices like, cyber fraud ("sakawa") armed robbery and money making rituals usually engaged in by the youth will gain currency.”

Mr Caesar was addressing the 71st national annual delegates' conference of the Young Peoples' Guild of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, which took place last week under the theme ‘Let Us Rise Up and Build’.

He urged the youth gathered to channel their productive energies into ventures like volunteerism and holding institutions accountable for state resources put into their care.

He said, “The future of this nation which will be led by the youth of today will tremendously be shaped by their current contributions to society, hence the need to give out your optimum best in all your endeavours.”

Rev Dr Martin Bugri Nabor, Chairman of the Northern Presbytery delivered the sermon to close the conference on Sunday. He urged the youth to refrain from using shorter routes to make money.

He said, “The better nation we are seeking to build can only be built by healthy people therefore do not do things that will affect your health.”