Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Professor Kwaku Danso Boafo, says there the need for Ghanaian churches and other religious and social groups in the UK to collaborate in ensuring bright and useful future for the Ghanaian youth in the UK.

He said it was worrying to hear news about Ghanaian youth involvement in and also as victims of youth crimes in the UK.

Professor Danso Boafo was addressing a gathering of members of the Ghanaian Seventh-day Adventist Churches in the United Kingdom.

Over one thousand members of the church from across the country gathered for their annual fellowship conference in London under the theme.

“Making a Difference”

The High Commissioner noted that most of the negative youth behaviour some of which results in the lost of youthful lives are outcome of the kind of upbringing, the lack of support and love and proper care the youth received from home.

According to the Ghanaian envoy, since the church is made up of family units, where the youth belong, pragmatic efforts from the family in respect of youth training and upbringing will help correct the rising youth irresponsible behaviour.

During the past four years, seventh Ghanaian youth in the UK have been involved in the unpopular London knife crime, either as victims or offenders. In two instances Ghanaian youth murdered fellow Ghanaians.

He described as unacceptable the recent involvement of the Ghanaian youth in youth crimes in the UK, adding that the few ones are tarnishing the good reputation of the rest.

He acknowledged the hard work and the enthusiasm of majority of Ghanaian youth in the UK putting in to ensure fruitful future for themselves and the country saying “some of our men and women have reached enviable positions in various parts of the world”.

Quoting from the Scriptures, he said “the good old book says if you have one hundred sheep and one get lost you will have to leave the ninety-nine and look for the one” To this end the High Commissioner announced that the Ghana Mission in the UK is organising a national youth forum to primarily discuss the problem and find solutions to it. “We will need your prayers and assistance in this direction,” he added.

“We should continue to produce more of the Kofi Annans and the Paul Boatengs for our dear nation and this to a large extend will depend on what the church and families will do for the youth of today who apparently is the future of Ghana.”

He made reference to the three Ghanaians who by dint of hard work and dedication have been elected as members of the UK parliament in the country’s last general elections and noted that “this is what our youth should emulate and they can effectively do this with the support of all of us.”

In a sermon, a former Head of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the African Indian Ocean Division of the church, Pastor J.J. Nortey, called on the members to strive hard to make a difference in the country they find themselves. He reminded them of the need to keep their identity, as Christians and as Ghanaians who will be ready at all times to defend their cause.

He was of the view that true Christians create what he referred to as affirmative difference in society. Using scripture from the Gospel of John, Pastor Nortey described the popular Samaritan woman as assertive individual who brought change into the entire Samaritan community.

Change, according to him, could be effected wherever and whenever one finds him or herself regardless of the circumstances around. He therefore called on the gathering to work hard to effect changes in their workplaces, communities and families by way of lifting the flag of Ghana high and the banner of Jesus high.

He observed that the world today needs people who can effect change and make a difference adding that people who can make such a difference are also different people and not ordinary. “People with different attitude towards their nation, different passion for their community, different character to be emulated by others, different zeal to face the challenges of the world and different mindset to change things that need to be change are the people the world need today.” Pastor Nortey stressed.

The Chairman of the Ghanaian Seventh-day Adventists Churches in the UK, Pastor Fergus Owusu Boateng reiterated the objectives of the churches as helping to bring together all Ghanaian seventh-day Adventists in the UK to fellowship as one people.

He noted that the establishment of the Ghanaian churches have paved the way for many Ghanaian Adventists who would easily have lost their faith. He said currently there are eight Ghanaian Adventist churches in the UK.

Story: Nana Sifa Twum, London