Accra, July 21, GNA - The Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Jean de Dieu Somda, has called on United Nations (UN) for increased support by funding partners for the development initiative being embarked upon by the Commission. He expressed concern about the crisis that has faced many countries

in the sub-region and identified the proliferation of small arms as a contributing factor to the crisis and noted that ECOWAS response was the adoption of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons. Speaking to top officials of the United Nations including, the High Representative, Office of Disarmament Affairs, Mr. Sergio Duarte and the

Deputy Assistant Administrator and Senior Deputy Director of the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Reovery, Mr Somda said the ECOWAS Commission had made great strides in its effort to improve the quality of life of the people through integration. He appealed for international support for the Commission to ensure ratification of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons to

build a strong lobbying programme for ratification and for implementation. In his response, Mr. Sergio Duarte congratulated ECOWAS Commission on the great work it is doing, especially in the area of small arms and stated that his office would continue to support the Commission. In this direction, Mr. Duarte revealed that its Lome Centre is currently being strengthened to give technical support to all the regional groupings in Africa; a new capable and committed director was recently appointed for the centre. The ECOWAS Commission Vice President gave a copy of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons to NATCOMs chairmen and expressed worry at the slow pace of work. This, they attributed to the fact that due to lack of budgetary provision, many of their offices are not functional. They then requested more advocacy visits by ECOWAS Commission officials as a way to improve the situation.

NSOC 017 Social Church Ministers Rt-Rev. Frimpong-Manso urges Ministers of the church to be humble

Tamale, July 21, GNA - Right Reverend Dr Yaw Frimpong-Manso, Moderator of General Assembly of Presbyterian Church of Ghana has urged Ministers of the church to be humble and patient in the implementation of the church structure in their vocation. He noted that some of them either refused or failed to fulfil their obligations with regard to visit to the sick, poor and vulnerable members of the church, payment of assessment and attendance at meetings and submission of statistical data. Rt-Rev. Frimpong-Manso made the call at the ordination of 11 Ministers of the church in Tamale on Sunday. They had satisfactorily completed their two years probation and initial service to the church. He said some of them did not report to their stations on time when transferred and prevented others from replacing them in their stations affecting church activities. Rt-Rev. Frimpong-Manso expressed concern about the indiscriminate invasion of people's privacy by the media with news, pictures, advertisements and information that influenced their attitude and lives negatively. "Despite the positive factors, some aspects of the media give cause for concern," he said. He urged the newly ordained Ministers to play their advocacy role in guiding, evangelizing and harnessing the energies and possibilities of new technologies in communication.