God has been merciful to Ghana - JAK

Kumasi, Nov. 29, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Saturday said God has been merciful to Ghana since it was one of the nations within the West African Sub-Region enjoying peace and many people appreciated the country for being a 'safe haven'.

President Kufuor who said this at a mammoth Church service organised by the World Wide Mission of Bethany International Fellowship under the theme: "Ghana praying for the world" at the Jackson's Park in Kumasi, also stated that the country was yearning for true development.

Both Christians and Muslims attended the service, based on the conviction that both religions groups belief in one omnipotent God and could live together as one entity.

President Kufuor noted that Ghana was made of people from diverse religions and ethnic background living in harmony without violence.

He asked Ghanaians to pray to God ceaselessly to strengthen them in their beliefs for a common destiny for the country and said everyone was his brother's keeper.

The President said Ghanaians were searching for peace and in their enlightenment, the country would become a great nation.

President Kufuor said: "We should sustain this partnership that had been established by the two religions in the country and pray that God intercede on our part and for God to strengthen and give me wisdom and humility to lead Ghana and ECOWAS to enable me to fulfil the promise I made to Ghana, West Africa and humanity".

He said the key to global peace was for all and sundry to pray to God for tolerance, understanding and appreciate each other's existence.

President Kufuor said: "that was the surest way to develop otherwise if we operate as separate religions or as individuals we would continue to toil with the hope of achieving progress but in the long run we would fail in whatever endeavour we undertake."

The spirit of accommodation and tolerance will enable us share and build together our achievements that the future generation would enjoy. I hope the whole world will appreciate this vision and hope for mankind", he added.

President Kufuor expressed appreciation to the Fellowship for organising such a unique gathering of the Christians and Moslems to worship and sing together which had not always been the normal religious practice in the country.

The Reverend Dr Prince John Blackson, Primate and Vicar General of the Fellowship, in a sermon, asked Ghanaians to change from the negative attitudes towards their fellow human beings the country.

He noted that some past leaders of the country did not have feeling for the people and the nation.

Rev. "If we have fellow feeling for ourselves, there would not be embezzlement of public funds or chiefs would not embezzle funds that accrue from the sale of stool lands and other stool properties", he added.

Rev. Blackson said Ghana had great human potentials and mentioned Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations and Mr Paul Boateng, officer in Charge of the British Treasure, His Eminence Cardinal Peter Appiah-Turkson, as Ghanaians who had excelled in their chosen careers.

He said: "Ghanaians are blessed; we can do a lot of things. Let us all join our hands together in unity and love to develop the country. If we cannot do anything to help build the country we should not do anything to destroy it".