Sekondi, April 18, GNA - The Very Rev. Ignatius I. Buabeng, Coordinator of the Sekondi Diocese of the Methodist Festival of History and Achieves (METHOFEST), has criticized the Methodist Church for its apathy towards the promotion of tourism in the country.

He said though the church had performed extremely well in the education, social, health, economic and political sectors of the economy, the tourism sector had not received the requisite investments and promotion.

The Very Rev Buabeng appealed to the church to establish a Christian museum as the church's contribution to the promotion of religious tourism in the country.

He said this at a festival that is on the theme "50 years of Ghana's Independence: The role of the Methodist church-Religious tourism in perspective.

He said the museums should be stocked with regalia, church histories, deeds of establishment, literature, photographs of past heroes, written notes, sermons, and other important materials of the church for future generations.

Rev. Buabeng said the church had the requisite personnel to maintain the museum and should not delay.

"The Methodist Church has several historical and archival materials and they are scattered in the various societies nationwide and makes it difficult for people to know the history of the church." Rev. Buabeng suggested that Dixcove should be developed as a tourist attraction since it was through the community that the first Bible for the Gold Coast arrived from the United Kingdom.

He said the church's historical data could also be stored on CDs to make its easier and more accessible.

On display was an 1838 Holy Bible that Captain Porter brought to the Gold Coast Christians.