Kumasi, July 30, GNA - The Presbyterian Church of Ghana on Sunday commissioned 32 ministerial probationers into the church at Bantama Peyer Memorial Church in Kumasi.

The new ministers, 29 men and three women, were from the Brong-Ahafo, Asante-Akim, Northern and Asante Presbyteries of the church and completed three-year theological education at the Trinity Theological Seminary at Legon.

This brings to 87, new ministers commissioned into the church this year. The officiating minister, Right-Reverend Dr Yaw Frimpong-Manso, the Moderator of the church, said the ministers were being called into the ministry at a time when many challenges faced the church, the nation and the world at large.

He mentioned wars, poverty, injustice, bad governance, corruption, greed, youth unemployment, armed robbery, sexual immorality and religious intolerance as some of the challenges. Rt Rev Frimpong-Manso called on the new ministers to conduct themselves well as matured and disciplined people responsible to God and the people they serve and help bring about solution to the challenges. The Moderator cautioned them to avoid irrelevant talk that lead people astray and rather consider what they could do to bring salvation to the people.

He described youth unemployment in the country as very disturbing and called on individual Ghanaians and churches to use part of their resources to create employment for the youth. Rt Rev Frimpong-Manso remarked that one of the problems facings those doing ministerial work is how to balance ministry and family life successfully and asked them to balance the two in order not to neglect their family responsibilities.

Reverend Joseph Ofoli Ahinakwah, on behalf of his colleagues, thanked the various presbyteries of the church, family members and the Theological Seminary for their prayers, support and encouragement during their course of studies.