Kumasi, April 2, GNA - The Reverend Stephen Asante, President of the Ghana Baptist Convention (GBC), has said there could not be any effective development in the country if proactive measures were not instituted to address the moral decadence that had permeated all spheres of the society.

He said it behoved on religious bodies and civil society organizations to intensify their education on good moral behaviour, loyalty, accountability and patriotism to enable the citizenry to appreciate discipline.

Rev Asante, who is also the Chancellor of the Ghana Baptist University College (GBUC), was speaking at the maiden matriculation of the college in Kumasi on Saturday.

A total of 44 students comprising 26 men and 18 women were matriculated into the School of Management and Information Technology of the college to undertake a four-year Bachelor of Science degree programme in Business Administration.

The Chancellor said no nation could develop in an environment of indiscipline and as a result called on tertiary institutions to strive to integrate academic excellence with morality in their programmes to help turn out students capable of advancing the nation's socio-economic aspirations.

"Most intellectuals we are producing today have acquired head knowledge without conscientious discipline. This in effect often land their feet in dungeons to the disadvantage of their dependents." Rev Asante said the GBUC, which was established last year, aims to serve as a centre of excellence for creative teaching and learning, innovative and relevant research as well as professional competence. Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, commended the Ghana Baptist Convention for establishing the college. He said it was about time religious bodies committed resources to establishing private universities for the enhancement of the country's education.