Oda, Sept. 9, GNA - The Women's Fellowship of the Methodist Church of Ghana on Friday opened a three-day conference under the theme "witnessing in the power of the Holy Ghost," at Oda. Mrs There Kufuor, the First Lady, said in a speech read for her that women played an important role in the socio-economic development of every nation.

She said for the past seven years, the government had initiated and implemented strategies geared towards elevating women. This was achieved by ensuring that gender inequality, which was prevalent in most spheres of life, was adequately addressed and if possible, completely eradicated. "As Christian women, you should portray yourselves as ideal mothers and play an active role in shepherding the youth who are losing their sense of direction as a result of their interaction with foreign cultures".

She said if they accepted this challenge and exemplified their unique status in society, she was positive that they could fashion the fortunes of Ghana and the future of the nation could be in the hands of well-disciplined and morally upright youth. Mrs. Kufuor said "the task confronting us today as Christians is not just the movement of the faithful from one city to the other spreading the gospel, it also includes nation building, fighting corruption, eschewing greed and several others. These cannot be won without the support of the Holy Spirit".

Opening the conference The Most Rev. Dr. Robert Aboagye Mensah, the Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church, called on Christians to always witness in their work.

He said no one could give good witness, unless that witness came from the Holy Ghost.

He advised market women in the fellowship to help curb the incidence of hijacking food items in the markets from poor farmers at cheat prices and later selling them at high prices. The fellowship donated food items, provisions, plastic wares, used clothing and other items estimated at more than GHc10,000 to the Oda Government hospital