Anglican Bishop calls on media to shun pornography

Sunyani, Jan 5, GNA - Most Reverend Thomas Ampah-Brient, Bishop of Sunyani Diocese of the Anglican Church, has stressed the need for the law to control media programs so that the Ghanaian culture is not corrupted with foreign ones. Speaking in an interview with Ghana News Agency Bishop Ampah-Brient said some of the advertisements and programs on the national television (TV) network are "very appalling".

He said the campaign against indiscipline "might end on the rocks if we continue to allow such pornographic materials and adverts that are at variance with Ghanaian culture on our national television.'' ''The crave for property and materialism continue to reign supreme in the choice of films on our television and this is the source of acts of indiscipline amongst our youth.''

Bishop Ampah-Brient expressed regret that time and again religious bodies had criticized such negative films and programmes but surprisingly such programmes and adverts continue to be screened. ''Since GBC-TV has only one channel there is no way parents can let such films escape their children and the result is portraying undesirable cultural practices among our youth." He said culture is dynamic and advised the youth not to adulterate their lives with foreign cultures that appreciate a dressing that is not in line with Ghanaian culture. ''Democracy does not support anything negative.''

Bishop Ampah-Brient called on politicians, chiefs, professional bodies and the entire nation to love one another in the years ahead for the nation to maintain its peace. ''We are one people with one destiny and we must continue to live peacefully as brothers and sisters.'' He said there is no government anywhere whose performance could attract 100 per cent acceptance by the governed and appealed to Ghanaians to be patient with the government. ''We must leave any decision to endorse or reject a particular government through the ballot box.'' On the proliferation of churches Bishop Ampah-Brient said, "Some of our Christian leaders distort the message" and advised the guilty ones to change for the better.