Accra, July 15, GNA - The Christian Council of Ghana is to engage decision makers in a discussion on their responsibility as rulers of the nation to ensure that good governance prevails.

Areas the Council will cover, as a means of contributing to democratic development, include peace building, conflict resolution, social and economic responsibility, basic human rights and gender. Reverend Dr Fred Deegbe, the Chairman of the Christian Council, said in Accra on Sunday that bad policies had led to polarization, corruption, truancy and streetism and there was the need to streamline issues to bring unity.

Launching the Council's week celebration at the Tesano Baptise Church under the theme ''Unity and Development, The Role of Every Ghanaian'' he said the country had become so polarised that different interpretations were given to issues that, if critically examined, could bring unity, love, purposefulness and productive progress. Rev. Dr. Deegbe said churches had the power to promote development if they could foster unity among themselves adding, "we don't all have to agree but through dialogue peace will prevail." He said deprivation and poverty, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, and corruption among other things had slugged the development of the country.

He said although the Constitution clearly stated the rules and regulation of the country, most of them were not being enforced adding that nobody would invest in a country that was corrupt and undemocratic. Touching, on the mushrooming of churches in the country, Rev. Dr. Deegbe said the Constitution provided for freedom of religion hence the Council could not prevent any church from operating.

What was important was for the churches to be properly registered, and must file an edited account yearly in order to pay their taxes as was their social responsibility, he said.

He said the Council had about 17 churches and affiliate bodies yet the income it accrued was low and called on members to contribute financially towards meeting its objectives that would cost about 2.5 billion cedes.

Other programmes lined up for the week are public lectures on the proposed theme at the Osu Ebenezer Church on Wednesday July 19, and a thanksgiving service at the Lutheran Church on Sunday, July 23.