Wa, Oct. 8, GNA- Right Reverend Emmanuel Arongo, Anglican Bishop of the Tamale Diocese on Saturday appealed to the government to involve the Church in government policies and other development- oriented programmes to enhance rapid socio- economic development of the country. "If indeed we are developing partners as the people claim, we need to be seen working hand-in- hand towards the growth and development of the country through effective collaboration."

Bishop Arongo made this appeal during the dedication ceremony of St. Aiden Anglican Church at Wa.

He named policies such as New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), among others that, the Church could effectively support for great success. The Bishop said the Church and other religious have a lot of expertise which the government could tap for development and to achieve its development goals.

Mr. Ambrose Dery, Upper West Regional Minister called on the leadership of various Churches to use their pulpits to preach against negative practices that inhibit the development of women in society. He named some of the negative practices as Widowhood inheritance, Female Genital Mutilation and inhuman treatment of women after the death of their husbands.

He said the Church has been instrumental in the social and economic development of the country and urged them to use their prowess in development to help the needy and the neglected in society. "The Church has always been and will continue to be our developing partner and we shall also keep on advising you to peacefully co-exist with other religious bodies at your various locations". The church, which started about 16 years ago in Wa, still operates through the Tamale Anglican Diocese since it has not yet developed up to the status of a Diocese.