Koforidua, Feb. 13, GNA - An International Evangelist and the founder of the Bible Truth Foundation of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church (SDA), the Rev. Dr Andrews Ewoo, has noted that the society needed people of integrity, who would stand on their words of trust to transform the nation.

He said the personal commitment of people's integrity, especially politicians, who had been entrusted with the leadership of the nation, was needed to bear on the every day life of national affairs. Preaching the sermon at the National Thanksgiving Service to climax the weeklong celebration of the "Bible Week" at the Ascension Presbyterian Church at Koforidua on Sunday, Dr Ewoo noted that lack of men and women of integrity in the society was affecting the progress of the nation.

The Week was organized by the Ghana Bible Society (GBS) on the theme: "Integrity: National Life and God's Word".

Preaching on the theme, Dr Ewoo described integrity as "the pillars for family, community and a nation's progress with the church as the central arena for the virtues of integrity." He, therefore, charged the Church to demonstrate the highest sense of integrity and honesty to sensitize the nation of the importance of doing what was right, because "the Church is the only conscience the government has, when the church is silent, the state has no conscience". Citing men of the Bible such as Amos, David, Isaiah, Joseph and Paul, he noted that, by their acts of integrity, which showed respect to the authority of God, "their respective times were fortunes for their nations" and called on the society to live as people of integrity to deepen trust amongst themselves.

A Council member of the GBS, Dr. Twum Baah, who is also the Deputy Government Statistician, in an address, stated that income generated by the Society was only 38 per cent of the cost of the Bible, since the Society subsidized about 60 per cent of the cost of the Bible. He explained that despite the cost involved in the printing of the Bible and its translation into many Ghanaian languages, the Society decided to sell it at a cheap prize to ensure that the Bible was the "commonest book to be purchased by every Christian."

He, therefore, appealed to churches and individuals to support the Society to enable it sustain the objective.

Dr Baah said out of the 14 million Ghanaians, who professed to be Christians, only 14,000 were members of the Society and called for more Christians to join the Society.

In his welcome address, the Akuapem Presbytery Chairman, Rev Charles Ahwireng, suggested the formation of Bible Society Clubs in all churches as a means to increase the membership to an appreciable level. He commended the BSG for the wonderful work they were doing by translating the Bible into many local languages and also making it available at affordable prices for all and sundry.

Among the dignitaries who attended the service, were the Vice President of the United Bible Societies (UBS) of Africa, Prof. Irene Odoteye, a Council Member of the UBS, Mrs Efua Ghartey, the 2nd Vice Chairman of the GBS, Prof. Abena Dolpyne and leaders of various churches in the country.