Need for concerted efforts to tackle poverty

Accra, Nov. 12, GNA - The Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference has stressed the need for concerted efforts to tackle the problem of poverty in the society for Ghana to make progress in socio-economic development. It has therefore called for the evolving of serious programme of industrialization to revive dormant and collapsing industries, strengthen existing ones and establish new ones.

The call was made in a communiqu?ssued by the Conference at the end of their Annual Plenary Assembly held at Nsuta in the Jasikan Diocese of the Catholic Church from November 4-10.

They reflected on matters concerning the church, the nation and prayed for the people.

The communiqu?alled on Government to be proactive in ensuring that the conditions of service for the various professions would enable all Ghanaians experience the minimum comfort needed to exercise their God-given roles in society.

"It is necessary that all hands should be on deck. We must recognise the importance of the profession or skill of every Ghanaian, no matter how mean it may appear."

"We need the doctors, lawyers, religious leaders and teachers just as we need the cleaners, watchmen, farmers, fishermen, drivers, carpenters, electricians and others."

However, the communiqu?aid some professions had grave responsibility to society and ?Without their practitioners performing as they should, all the talk about national development and progress based on the rule of law and attainment of prosperity would be a farce.?

The communiqu?ncouraged partnership between religious bodies and the State especially in the area of education and noted that religious bodies had a vital role to play in the national development.

It said the partnership between religious bodies and State should be intensified especially in the management of educational institutions that should be reflected in the educational reforms being implemented.

On Ghana's 50th anniversary celebration, the communiqu?oted that ?50 years in the life of any nation and most especially in the life of Africa?s first country south of the Sahara to attain independence is surely an occasion for celebration and a great jubilation at that.'

'The national jubilee should be a year in which the nation takes account of what its citizens? lives have been and resolves to make amends where such changes are called for. It affords the occasion to thank God for what he has enabled the nation to achieve.'

The communiqu?xpressed appreciation to God for various blessings bestowed on the nation in the improvement in communication system and rural electrification project and appeal to Government to improve on the road network especially the Hohoe-Yendi road.

It said 'While we decry certain misfortunes of our past political history, we like to note the fundamental goodwill of all governments, past and present in their attempt to achieve the best for all Ghanaians.'

'We also commend the patience with which Ghanaians bore the difficulties and certain violations of human rights with great courage and magnanimity. It is this spirit of patience, tolerance, forgiveness that has contributed to make Ghana an oasis of relative peace in the West African Sun-Region,? it added.

The communiqu?owever, expressed concern about the moral decadence in the society born out of the inordinate pursuit of wealth, prestige, honour and false solidarity.

It called on the mass media to be circumspect in their publications and operations and endeavour to avoid activities that would extol evil and vice to the weak-minded in society.

The communiqu?ppealed to Ghanaians to work towards lasting peace and tranquillity in the nation in the years ahead.