The Right Reverend Kofi Asare Bediako, Bishop of the Sunyani Diocese of the Methodist Church of Ghana, has asked the leadership of the church in the diocese to use the pulpit to educate members on the need for peaceful elections in December.

Bishop Bediako was addressing the opening of the 33rd annual synod of the diocese at the Wesley Cathedral in Sunyani on Friday.

The four-day synod is under the theme “Harnessing our gifts and resources for the development of the diocese”.

The Bishop advised members of the church to avoid the politics of insults before, during and after the elections.

“Do not fan the flame of political violence. We should know that we are one people and Ghana is our only home, so let’s all do our best to ensure continued peace and development”, he added.

“We are richly endowed but as long as each operates in isolation there cannot be harmony and synergy”, he said.

The Methodist leader pledged his administration would work hard to strengthen the capacity of the education unit of the church to play its supervisory role.

He said "four months in my administration, the Sunyani Diocese with the assistance of Wenchi Diocese purchased a 4x4 Nissan pick-up vehicle worth GH?44,000 for the office of the regional manager of the Methodist Education unit".

The Bishop noted that since Sunyani Technical Institute was upgraded into a Polytechnic, the vacuum created had been filled by the establishment of a Technical Institute, which had been absorbed by the Ghana Education Service.

He however stated that "since the institution is new and currently being administered solely by the Church", it was facing enormous challenges and therefore called for assistance from traditional authorities, Members of Parliament (MPs) and other stakeholders in the municipality.

Bishop Bediako said the church had proposed a formal tuition-free evening classes in Sunyani municipality for all who want to pursue Senior High School (SHS) and adult education but lacked the financial support, adding "the programme would begin in October this year".

“The programme will be replicated in other circuits if this one proves successful”, he added.

He indicated that, academic staff for the evening classes would be selected from the Ghana Methodist Students Union (GHAMSU), and that a full time minister chaplain and two auxiliary ministers had consented to assist the Diocesan Youth Organizer (DYO) to coordinate their activities in the diocese.

He said the church is also working hard to complete quarters for a resident midwife at Kwakuanya clinic, which is expected to be in operation in June this year.

Mr S.B. Nsankyire, Diocesan Lay Chairman, commended the Bishop for assisting the church and pledged the full support of members of the church to enable him to deliver more for the Diocese.**