Mankessim (C/R), Aug 16, GNA - Mr Robert Quainoo-Arthur, Mfansteman District Chief Executive (DCE), has called on church groups to regard religion and politics as bedfellows.

He noted that both religion and politics were concerned about quality leadership and good governance to improve the living conditions of the people.

"The Bible and politics teaches us to obey authority and the rules of the state," he stated.

The DCE, who was addressing the 15th Biennial Conference of the Sunday School Teachers of the Cape Coast Diocese of the Methodist Church at Mankessim, said this enjoined the Church and State to coordinate their activities to achieve the common goal. The theme for the four-day conference was "Whom shall I send, who will go for us".

Mr Quainoo-Arthur said children should be taught at Sunday Schools to understand what politics meant to the Church and State to enable them to grow up to appreciate the beauty and need for good governance. Understanding politics would make us know how to manage our environment in a good manner, the DCE stated and outlined a number of programmes initiated by the government to create jobs for the youth The Very Reverend Jacob Obo-Williams, Mankessim Superintendent Minister, said social, environmental and economic influences posed a challenge to the youth and was eroding the virtues the Church was imparting on them and stressed the need for the Church to support the government to stem the tide.

Mrs Agnes Letitia Hawkson, Headmistress of the Mankessim Secondary Technical School, called on the Church to educate children at Sunday Schools to appreciate the need to be on time and not to accept 'African Punctuality' as the right thing.

The Very Reverend Bernasco Asiamah, Synod Secretary expressed concern about parents who attended Church Service on Sundays without their children.

The Right Reverend Isaac Quansah, Bishop of the Diocese in a speech read on his behalf said Ministers and other Church leaders must not concentrate their activities on adults at the expense of children. Mr Jeriscot Henry Quayson, Diocesan Sunday School Superintendent, said 42 new Sunday Schools had been established bringing the total to 277 while children attending had increased from 15,126 to 19,551 with teachers from 731 to 790.