Churches urged to focus on problems of society

Kumasi, March 14, GNA - The Right Reverend Kwaku Asamoah-Okyere, Bishop of the Kumasi Diocese of the Methodist Church, at the weekend asked churches to seriously address themselves to the needs and problems of society.

He said it is not enough to express concern about the problems of street children and AIDS infection, for instance, without making any conscious attempts to deal with their root causes.

Rt. Rev. Asamoah-Okyere was preaching at the dedication service of a 500 million-cedi building constructed by the Emmanuel Methodist Church at Suame in Kumasi on Sunday.

The project, which started three years ago, was funded through voluntary contributions by members of the church. It has conference halls, offices, library, guest rooms, dining hall, kitchen and bath.

Rt. Rev. Asamoah-Okyere urged the people to do away with the mentality of always relying on government to satisfy all their needs, saying: "It is up to us as individuals, groups or community to do the necessary research and consultations on how best we can redress our socio-economic inadequacies by ourselves".

He expressed dissatisfaction with the craze for sensationalism and miracles by some sections of the Christian community, pointing out that any "faith that depends on miracles is no faith".

He asked Christians never to compromise on truth, fairness, justice and peace but work in close co-operation with other religious faiths. He also reminded them that it is their civic responsibility to effectively participate in the national population and housing census to ensure its success.

Nana Okofo Tabiri Agyei, Adansi-Dompoasehene, asked the clergy to encourage all Ghanaians to comport themselves during this year's electioneering campaign. "It is important to draw lessons from the devastation and carnage caused by civil strife in some African countries and allow peace to prevail in this country."