Sekondi, July 28, GNA - Women should regard themselves as equal partners with men in the efforts to build a just, peaceful and harmonious society for accelerated development.

Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Omanhene of Essikado in the Western Region, speaking in Sekondi on Saturday, noted that Ghanaian culture and tradition recognised the complementary role of both sex to achieve cohesion, unity, love and loyalty.

He was addressing the opening of the second biennial delegates conference of the Susanna Wesley Mission Auxiliary of the Sekondi Diocese of the Methodist Church.

Two hundred delegates from the eight circuits of the Diocese are attending the three-day conference on the theme, "Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody".

"No sex must be regarded as superior or inferior to the other because we cannot have equality if one is regarded as inferior, since we were all created in his image," Nana Nketsia stated.

He also called on women leaders to be in the forefront to project the cultural identity of the Ghanaian woman for them to be proud of their heritage as instrument of peace, unity, honesty, loyalty and hard work.

"The African woman who is not inferior to any race or civilisation should take pride of her make, looks and social life," he stressed. The Christian woman, he said must adopt attitudes and behaviour that promoted peace and unity and to be role models in their communities.

The Right Reverend John Harvey Ewusi, Bishop of the Diocese, asked Christians not to limit their love and kindness to their relations and friends alone but to extend them to those they even see as enemies irrespective of their attitudes towards them.

Mr. Thomas K. Mensah, Lay President of the Diocese, advised female members of the Church do away with petty squabbles and jealousies and to be at peace with all people to promote harmony in the society. Sister Joyce Takyi-Aboagye, Connexion President, in a message read on her behalf asked members to encourage young women to take more interest in religion and Church activities.

She commended the hierarchy of the Church for supporting and promoting the activities of women groups within the Church. 28 July 07