General News of Monday, 16 September 2002

Source: gna

Anglican Synod approves ordination of women

The Koforidua-Ho Diocese of the Anglican Church has approved the ordination of women. This was among a number of decisions taken at the weeklong Synod contained in a statement signed by the Bishop of the Diocese, the Most Rev. Robert G. A. Okine, on Saturday, at Koforidua.

The decision must, however, be approved by other Dioceses in the Anglican Province of West Africa before it could be put into effect. The Synod also called for the review of the constitution of the Church to enable it to deal effectively with immoral conduct of members.

It called on members of the Church to consider HIV/AIDS as a health and moral problem and urged parishes to organise programmes to educate people and to compose songs, jingles and drama to help combat the spread of the pandemic.

The Synod called on the government, Churches, civil society, and parents to pool resources to curb anti-social acts, which are threatening the moral development of the youth. The Church would use the pulpit and other activities to tackle the issue, it said.

The Synod commended the government for creating an enabling condition for the socio-economic development of the country and urged it to sustain the stability of the cedi and to create employment for the youth.