Mr. Simon Osei-Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, has asked Christian youth to become pacesetters of their generation through self-discipline and responsible conduct.

He added that their lives must positively impact their peers – turn them away from social vices.

He was speaking at the opening of this year’s conference of the Presbyterian Youth and Students Assembly (PREYSA 2017) in Kumasi.

The event is being held under the theme “Empowered to influence our generation”.

It has brought together five youth groups – junior youth, the boys brigade, the girls brigade, National Union of Presbyterian Students-Ghana and the young people’s guild.

Mr. Osei-Mensah reminded them to live their faith and refuse to be part of anything indecent, evil and inconsistent with the true teachings of the Bible.

It was by doing this that they would serve as good example to other young people in their communities.

He used the occasion to highlight the need for them to focus on their education and work hard to realize their academic dreams.

The Reverend Dr. Samuel Ayete-Nyampong, Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, expressed concern about what he said was the teaching of false Christian religious doctrines by fake and self-seeking pastors to mislead the youth.

The central theme running through the messages of these charlatans to the youth, he noted, was material wealth and not about salvation.

The Rev Ayete-Nyampong used the occasion to encourage the youth to be bold to venture into business, pointing out that, this was the way forward to reduce the high unemployment among them.

The Rev Dr. Kofi Anfo Akonnor, Chairman of the Asante Presbytery, in an address read for him, urged youth leaders in the church to do things under the influence and direction of the Holy Spirit so as to impact positively on their peers and society.

Mr. Stephen Kwaku Owusu, Chairman of the Planning Committee, said the conference would provide platform for the youth to discuss issues relating to the growth of the church and the development of the society.