Drobo (B/A) Nov. 7, GNA - The Right Reverend Dr. Yaw Frimpong-Manso, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at the weekend urged colleague church leaders to sensitise their congregations to honour their tax obligations to accelerate community and national development.

He emphasized that it was not only the responsibility of ministers of religion to seek the spiritual development of the congregations but also to educate them to honour their social obligations to help the state leadership to exploit endowed natural resources to develop the country.

Rev Dr Frimpong-Manso was preaching at a special church service to mark the elevation of Drobo sub-district of the church into a full district status.

He noted that, "some of us are saboteurs, we don't want progress so have adopted various means of dodging our responsibilities as citizens." He advised Ghanaians to support church leaders, traditional authorities and the state leadership to work towards prosperity in the country.

The Moderator emphasized that only a section of the working populace, particularly workers who received their salaries through the Controller and Accountant General Department paid their income taxes regularly.

"Majority of the people, including iced water sellers, food vendors and the rest do not pay tax and such a situation cannot help us to develop as a nation," he said and called on members of the church to eschew practices that do not promote community development.

Rev Dr Frimpong-Manso commended members of the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in Drobo for their new status and asked them to intensify activities to help rid the society of indiscipline, domestic violence, abortion, prostitution, corruption and the HIV/AIDS pandemic. "The whole of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and the Christian community will expect you to make a positive impact on the community, especially regarding the eradication of immorality", he said. The Moderator stressed that the church must find ways of heightening its involvement in poverty eradication to enhance its ability to be a welcoming community for poor people to find solace not only for their spiritual needs but also for their economic well-being.

Mrs. Elizabeth Obah, District Chief Executive for Jaman North and a lay representative of the church urged stations that constitute the new district to rally solidly behind the leadership, by taking active part in all activities, especially evangelistic programmes, to win more souls for Christ and to establish more congregations.

Mr. Apraku Tanoh, District Chief Executive for Jaman South noted that the elevation of the Drobo church, carved out of the Japekrom District church, "is in line with the government's decentralization policy to give power to the people at the grassroots, to promote efficiency in evangelism and management." "Your stewardship will now be subjected to greater test and more hardwork. It is my belief and prayer that you will respond to these new challenges and work harder to justify the confidence reposed in you," he said.