Ghana to host World Alliance of Reformed Churches

Ghana is to host the 24th Session of the General Council meeting of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (WARC) from 30 July to 13 August 2004. Ghana is the second African country to host the meeting held every eight years after Kenya, which hosted it in 1970.

The Reverend Dr Setri Anyomi, General Secretary of WARC, told President John Agyekum Kufuor when he led a nine-member delegation from the Christian Council of Ghana to pay a courtesy call on him at the Castle, Osu on Tuesday.

The WARC formed in 1875, with its headquarters in Geneva, is a Christian organisation with membership of over 75 million Christians made up of Presbyterian, Reformed, Congregational and United Churches in over 100 countries around the world.

Rev. Anyomi, who is a Ghanaian, thanked God for the many initiatives and leadership qualities he had bestowed on Ghanaians to excel into high positions in their various careers. President Kufuor said government had accepted the honour for Ghana to host the meeting, adding "let us pray that 2004 comes and find us all in good health with government's participation to a victorious year".

He advised Rev. Anyomi to work hard in his position " to let your counterparts know that you are a worthy son of Ghana". Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs, said it was encouraging to see another Ghanaian rising to such a high position.

He said the youth needed to see such leaders as role models to instil self-discipline among them and aspire to such high levels. Mr Obestebi-Lamptey appealed to the Churches to assist government in the educational reforms to fill the gap in educational institutions and instil discipline in schools to produce good future leaders.