Kumasi, Dec. 25, GNA - Right Reverend Prof Emmanuel Asante, Bishop of the Kumasi Diocese of the Methodist Church, has stressed the need for Ghanaians to unite and live in peace and harmony to ensure development. He said Ghanaians should avoid intra ethnic conflicts, cheating, bribery and corruption, nepotism and other negative tendencies that impeded development efforts.

Prof. Asante was delivering a sermon to mark Christmas Day at the Wesley Cathedral at Adum in Kumasi on Thursday.

He said the birth of Christ was significant since it paved the way for mankind to be saved from their sins and asked Christians to be steadfast in propagating the gospel to win more souls for Christ.

Bishop Asante urged stakeholders in the nation's development to commit resources towards sensitizing Ghanaians to be law-abiding in their endeavours to ensure increased productivity in all sectors of the economy.

At the Saint Peters Cathedral Basilica, the Most Reverend Thomas Kwaku Mensah, Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop of Kumasi, urged Ghanaians to let the peace that comes with the yuletide to be strengthened as the nation prepares towards the presidential run-off.

He said Ghana has been recognized as the beacon of hope in democratic dispensation and good governance in African and that the citizenry should be committed to uphold good neighbourliness for the sustenance of peace.

The Archbishop appealed to Christians to tolerate the views of others and work together towards the development of the nation.

In a related development, the Reverend Otuo Acheampong, Chairperson of the Asante Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, in a sermon at the Ramseyer Presbyterian Church at Adum in Kumasi, noted that the high rate of indiscipline among the youth should be a matter of concern to all well meaning Ghanaians.

"The continuous engagements of the youth in armed-robbery, prostitution, drug abuse and trafficking could erode the socio-economic gains made over the years", he stated and cautioned that the earlier solutions were found in addressing the problem the better it would be since the youth were the backbone of the economy.

Reverend Acheampong charged members of the church to abide by the doctrines and tenets of Presbyterianism to enhance the growth and image of the church.

Preaching at the Peyer Memorial Presbyterian Church at Bantama in Kumasi, the Reverend Peter Kofi Nyarkoh, the District Minister, indicated that as the nation prepares for a new year it was incumbent upon the masses to shun provocative statements that could result in conflicts and violence.

He said political leaders should review their political message to create a peaceful atmosphere that would help to shepherd Ghana to a civil society of hope and joy.

The Reverend John Kwabena Boachie, Minister in-charge of the Gospel Centre Assemblies of God at Old Tafo in Kumasi, in a sermon, said the birth of Christ should serve as a period for reconciliation, tolerance and forgiveness among the people.

He noted that as result of this it behoved the people to eschew al forms of negative tendencies for accelerated development of the nation. Again at the Saint Paul's Catholic Church at Amakom in Kumasi, Reverend Father John Bilson-Ogoe, Assistant Parish Priest reminded Christians to use the occasion to take stock of their activities and adopt new strategies to improve on their performances.

He admonished them to emulate the leadership qualities of the Virgin Mary by upholding biblical virtues to help straighten the rough edges of their lives.

At the Grace Baptist Church at Amakom in Kumasi, Reverend Dr Kojo Osei-Wusu, the Senior Pastor, stressed the need for the citizenry to love one another just as Jesus Christ demonstrated love to the sinner. He said they should turn up in their numbers and vote massively in the December 28, 2008 presidential run-off so as to exercise their franchise, adding that, it behoved Ghanaians to work hard in ensuring that, their political differences did not divide them. 25 Dec. 08