Kumasi, Aug. 11, GNA - The Lutheran Youth Organisation (LYO) has evolved a five-year strategic plan estimated at two billion cedis for the construction of Youth Resource Centres in three regions of the country.

Right Reverend Dr Paul Kofi Fynn, President of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ghana (ELCG), who announced this, said the centres, which are to be sited at the Greater-Accra, Ashanti and the Western regions, are to be used to train the youth in vocational and technical skills.

Rt. Rev. Dr. Fynn made the announcement when he addressed the opening of the National Lutheran Youth convention, which also coincided with the launching of the strategic plan in Kumasi on Thursday. The four-day convention is being attended by a number of youth from the various branches of the church in the country, as well as the USA. Among activities of the convention are a workshop, leadership training, community service, prayer sessions, gospel rock shows as well as fun games.

The President stated that the strategic plan would be funded mainly by the local church, through fund raising activities, personal contributions and donations as well as monies that would accrue from the church's income generating activities.

Rt. Rev. Dr. Fynn said apart from the strategic plan being embarked on by the Youth wing of the church, the church has also acquired a 30-acre plot of land for the establishment of a Teacher Training College at Adidome in the Volta Region.

In an address read for him, Dr. Richard W. Anane, Minister of Road Transport, commended the Lutheran Church for being an instrument for the provision of social services to the communities in which they operate. He mentioned the provision of educational infrastructure, health facilities and the church's contribution to agricultural extension services as well as potable water to deprived communities as significant contributions.

Also, in an address read for him Baffour Asare Owusu Amankwatia V, Bantamahene, appealed to the Church not to limit its social services to only a part of the country but consider extending it to the Ashanti Region too.