Asokore(E/R), Feb. 20, GNA - The Bible Society of Ghana (BSG) has introduced a 24-hour preaching programme accessible to areeba subscribers in the country free of charge.

The programme code-named 'preach the word, could be accessed in 12 different languages including English and French.

The Director of BSG, Rev. Kofi Owusu, announced this at a Bible Sabbath celebration, held at the Asokore Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Teacher Training College near Koforidua, to round off the annual Bible Week celebrations.

He said in addition to making the Bible available and affordable to everyone the society was also interested in facilitating the word of God to reach as many people as possible outside the Church, hence the introduction of the programme.

Rev. Owusu briefed the people on activities of the society and called for support through membership and other sources of funding to enable the society undertake its programmes to achieve its objective. Right Rev. Emmanuel Twum-Baah, Bishop of the Koforidua Diocese of the Methodist Church of Ghana, delivering the keynote address on the theme "Integrity, national life and God's word", noted that lack of integrity had created many problems for society.

He cited the indiscriminate littering of the environment, tax evasion and double standards being pursued by leaders in authority as manifestations of people who lacked integrity.

Bishop Twum-Baah said integrity was the only virtue that should compel people to adhere to moral principles that required everyone to uphold God's commandment for society.

Bishop Twum-Baah expressed concern about the phenomenon that religion had become "outward and order of the day, because the behaviour of Ghanaians do not reflect obedience to God's word which is not different from laws of the land."

He called on Ghanaians to maintain integrity "despite the harsh economic situation" and urged the media to help the Society carry the appropriate theme of integrity to the people to prompt them on the need to lead upright lives in society.

Rev. Kwabena Twum, President of East Ghana Conference of the SDA Church, commended the Society for its immense contribution to the spread of God's word and the theme that was appropriate for the nation. He said the country could consolidate its democracy when people irrespective of their status uphold the tenets of integrity. Rev. Twum pointed out that no amount of political talks and measures could stop corruption in the society, "not even the call for zero tolerance for corruption, unless the society had seen the need for integrity to rule in their affairs."

Executives of United Bible Societies (UBS) in Africa and Council members of BSG attended the function.