The Catholic Church is determined to promote and ensure integral human development in Nandom and all parts of the diocese.

“It is the church’s desire to use every possible means to highlight all aspects of human life and help bring forth more clearly its sacred character”, the Catholic Bishop of Wa, Most Reverend Richard Kuuia Baawobr said.

He said in the wake of this responsibility, it is necessary for the church to highlight certain negative attitudes and practices that could militate against the development of the area.

He said amongst the disturbing habits confronting the society was the excessive consumption of alcohol, exorbitant funeral celebrations and the destruction of natural resources.

“We all have testimonies of the harmful effects of alcohol, especially “apeteshie” on the lives of the people of Nandom”, he said.

Speaking on the topic: “The Church and Missionary contribution to the development of Nandom – The past, present, and the future”, at the Nandom District Development forum, Most Rev. Baawobr said talented and brilliant gentlemen and women had been lost due to the consumption of “the toxic product”.

He urged the public to desist from alcohol intake and called on governmental institutions in charge of human welfare to collaborate with all stakeholders to help eliminate the concern.

Most Rev. Baawobr said there has also been some unpleasant social practices in the Nandom area which is affecting the development of the area.

“Gone are the days when the people of Nandom perform the funeral of their dead as soon as it occurred".

“Now, it has become usual to keep the bodies of the deceased for weeks, make preparations and celebrate funeral celebrations for days”, he said.

The Most Rev. Baawobr said the resources and time was involved in the practice was evidently having an effect on all.

He said income which could otherwise be used for the welfare of children and the families as well development projects were squandered on such funeral practices.

In this regard, he said, the Diocese of Wa is seriously discussing at all levels the best way to celebrate funerals in a simple and dignified way while limiting those undesirable aspects.

On natural resources, Most Rev. Baawobr said resources of already impoverished areas in the district are still being depleted though illegal activities like bush burning, indiscriminate felling of trees and mining at unauthorised places.

He said such activities affected the district in a special way and the preservation of the environment with its natural resources for future generations is a responsibility upon the shoulders of all citizens.

Most Rev. Baawobr said it is important for authorities in the society to call on all to desist from all harmful practices like bush burning, indiscriminate felling of trees and illegal mining among others.

He also called on the civil leadership to facilitate the efforts of those who would like to establish small businesses or enterprises to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles and ensure a level playing ground to boost livelihoods.

“A business woman ought not to wait one year in order to obtain the license to operate her business. A business man should not be deprived unlawfully of capital which he could have used to expand his business”, he said.