Accra, Jan. 29, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama, on Sunday advised religious bodies, especially the Church, to step up their strategies at eliminating religious charlatans, who were desecrating the name of God for selfish gains.

He said there were good and respectable clergy and men of God, who were doing everything possible to embed the word of God for the benefit of future generations.

The Vice President said this, notwithstanding, the conduct of the fake men of God was indicting their reputation of the good ones and there was the need to weed out the bad nuts.

Vice President Mahama gave the advice during an induction service for the new leadership of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council into office, in Accra.

The leaders were Apostle Dr Opoku Onyinah, Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, as president of the Council, Reverend Sam Korankye-Ankrah, founder and Apostle General of the Royal House Chapel International as first Vice President.

The rest are; Apostle Ebenezer Nsesa Abebrese, President of the Apostolic Church and Rev Dr Paul Yaw Frimpong Manso as National Executive Members of the Council.

The council among other activities promotes good relationship within member churches, and also promote awareness and organizes programmes that maximize potential of member churches regularly at city, regional and national levels.

Vice President Mahama said Government considered religious bodies as partners in development, and would expect them to educate their members on the need to avoid electoral malpractices and other forms of violence that could jeopardize the future of the country.

He advised the leaders to warn their members against multiple registration as the biometric system could detect malpractices, and lead to the arrest and prosecution of culprits in court during this year’s General election.

The Vice President cautioned Ghanaians not to take the peace the country had enjoyed over the years for granted as neighbouring Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone, Liberia and other African countries were yet to recover from the repercussions of war.

He urged religious bodies to re-instate the virtues of love, respect, and extended family systems, which were being eroded by westernization and modernization.

Apostle Onyinah promised to serve all churches that constitute the council, the Christian public as well as the nation, and called for collaboration and partnership that would help them achieve those goals.

He promised that the church would intensify educational programmes against homosexuality, armed robbery and child trafficking, which were fast establishing itself in the country, and called on other religious bodies to stand up against those menace.

Apostel Onyinah denounced the use of unprintable language in the media, and warned that such conduct if not checked could escalate into dangerous tools of destruction and disunity.

He called on the Electoral Commission to exhibit high level of professionalism in the conduct the 2012 General Election to avoid election-related violence and other forms of confrontations at the polls.

Rev. Professor Mike Ocquaye, second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, gave the assurance that the New Patriotic Party would educate its members, to adhere to rules and regulations governing elections to ensure peace, even after the elections.

He appealed to the new leaders to work for God and the people and lead exemplary lives to serve as encouragement to the people.

Rev Francis Amenu, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, Ghana, called on the leaders to extend their activities to the rural areas and reinvigorate the virtues of God as it was fading off in society.