The fifth biennial convention of the Bantama Zone Adventist Singing Band Union ended in Sunyani at the weekend with a call on the country's musicians to re-examine and redirect their lyrics along lines of decency.

Mr. Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, who made the call noted that if musicians and composers did so, "the youth will grow into healthy, happy and responsible adults".

About 3000 members of singing bands from 10 districts under the Central Ghana Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church attended the five-day convention, which was under the theme, "Sharing His Marvellous Grace Through Music".

Mr Baffour-Awuah, who was the guest speaker expressed his disapproval of "obscene music played in our homes and on our airwaves these days", saying such sexually tainted songs, apart from being immoral, had a strong tendency to promote illicit sex among the youth. He noted with regret that though the country was replete with a large number of Christian churches, ministries and fellowships with equally large number of membership, not even the behaviour of the leadership was above reproach.

Acts of indiscipline have gained entry into our churches to the extent that there seem to be no difference between Christian and non-Christians, he said.

The Municipal Chief Executive acknowledged the appropriateness of the theme for the convention, "particularly at this time when the leadership of the country is waging a relentless war against indiscipline".

He cautioned Christians against the presumption that God's grace abounds and therefore could lead unrestrained lifestyles, cautioning that they could not do things their own way under the guise of grace. On HIV/AIDS, Mr Baffour-Awuah noted, "It is the greatest threat to our survival, happiness and development and the only remedy against it is for the youth to abstain from casual sex and married couples to be faithful to their partners.

"Until Ghanaians see this devastating pandemic as a moral issue, our fight against it will be a complete failure", he said. Nana Kwame Korang 11, Omanhene of Awua Domase and Vice President of Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs urged the leadership of the various singing bands to exhibit accountability and transparency to gain the confidence and trust of members.