Regional News of Sunday, 31 August 2003

Source: GNA

DCE urges MPs to use pulpits to educate public

Akumsa-Domase (B/A) Aug.31, GNA - Mr Kwame Amporfo-Twumasi, Nkoranza District Chief Executive has urged MPs and other political leaders to use pulpits in churches to educate their congregations about government policies.

He emphasized that since the church is a stakeholder in the nation's development, such interactions would enable the people to come out with their views and advice on governance to their expectation. Mr Amporfo-Twumasi was addressing the congregation at the close of a five-day annual camp meeting of the Nkoranza south district branch of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church at Akumsa-Domase in Brong Ahafo. He called on Christians to support both political and traditional activities through their active participation in development programmes in their communities.

On education, the DCE advised the people to enrol their children of school-going age in schools and appealed to churches to establish scholarship schemes to support brilliant but needy children. Mr Amporfo-Twumasi exhorted Christians to lead exemplary lives at workplaces, at home, in the streets and everywhere else for others to emulate them so the country could be rid of social vices.

Pastor Israel Nana Tufour, President of the South Central Ghana Conference of the Church expressed concern about the fast spread of HIV/AIDS and advised the youth to avoid acts that could make them to contract it.

He appealed to couples to remain faithful to their partners to save themselves from disgrace and shame as Christians should they become afflicted with the pandemic. The Pastor led the congregation to pray for President Kufuor, Ministers of State, MPs, other political leaders and traditional rulers and the sustenance of peace and stability in the country.

Pastor Martin Appiah Kyeremeh, District Pastor of the Church urged members to let what they had learnt at the meeting to guide them to steer away from unproductive activities. He cautioned them against fornication, gossip, hatred, enmity and disobedience, which he said could not allow them to lead worthy lives as Christians.

Pastor Kyeremah advised the youth to learn vocations and engage in income generating activities so that they "do not become liabilities in the church and society as a whole".

Nana Kwabena Osei 11, chief of the area, urged Christians to let their lives to reflect the teachings they receive in the church.