Mr Alex Sabbi, the Vice-Principal of the Sunyani Community Development Vocational and Technical Institute has partially attributed rife in social vices among the youth to irresponsible parenting.

He said parental neglect had left many young boys and girls on the streets and forced them into peer group influences, thereby engaging in socially unhealthy lifestyles.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Tuesday in Sunyani, Mr Sabbi, who is also a Steward at the Sunyani Wesley Methodist Cathedral advised parents to show more interest in the education of their children and channel much of their resources into that.

He said though the Church was helping to promote the spiritual development of the youth, much was expected of parents towards the proper upbringing and development of their children so that they would become national assets and not liabilities.

Mr Sabbi observed that parents who shirked their parental responsibilities towards their children did great disservice to the society and the nation and called for stiffer punishment for such parents.

He noted that children easily picked the lifestyle of their parents and thus advised them (parents) to live godly lives to have positive impact on their children.