The Right Reverend Professor Emmanuel Martey, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, has expressed worry about the desertion of child development issues by the church and appealed for a change.

The various congregations, he said, should show keen interest and passion for the promotion of the physical and spiritual wellbeing of children.

This was contained in a speech read for him at the opening of the biennial general meeting of the church’s national committee on children’s ministry in Kumasi.

The four-day conference is under the theme “Disabled but equally empowered.”

The aim is to help build the capacity of teachers of the children’s service for efficient job delivery.

The Rt Rev Prof Martey said, it was time adequate support was given to the Children’s Ministry to enable it to become more functional.

The situation where the ministry finds it difficult to attain the needed resources to embark on outreach programmes and training as well as help out the poor and socially disadvantaged children in the church should not be allowed to persist any longer, he added.

The Moderator encouraged the NCCM to continue to champion the cause of children and draw attention to physical, socio- cultural and institutional barriers that affect their growth.

He said they should be provided with opportunities to develop their God-given potentials and talents.

Mr Ludwig Anang Hesse, Chairperson of the NCCM, noted that average attendance at the children’s service has been growing at only two percent in the last 10 years as against the projected 10 percent target.

He said there is an urgent need for the church to do more to fully develop the children’s ministry.**