General News of Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Source: GNA

Don't allow politicians to use you - Palmer-Buckle tells youth

Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer- Buckle, the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Accra Archdiocese of the Catholic Church, has appealed to the youth not to allow themselves to be used by politicians to cause division.

“You must be careful because people are using you to divide the country. You constitute 65 percent of the population of this country, and I want you to know how important you are to ensuring a peaceful country,” he said.

“In God, all of us Ghanaians are one people. So together with Christ, you can help us fight against politicians who use the youth to divide the country,” he said when he addressed participants of a Unity Walk in Accra on Saturday.

The walk was coordinated by the Christian Council on behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council and the Independent Churches.

Most Rev. Palmer-Buckle appealed to young people to use their God-given gifts productively to help themselves and the country, adding that the youth had the gift of energy and must channel their energy into good use.

“Don’t misuse your gift of creativity. Don’t sit home after school because you don’t have a job. You must create your own employment after school,” he said.

Rev Dr. Kwabena Opuni Frimpong, General Secretary of the Christian Council, told the GNA in an interview that the youth front was being divided on political lines.

He said young people had become targets of political and religious leaders whose priority was to disunite the country.

Rev Opuni-Frimpong said conflicts thrive on ignorance and appealed to churches to create platforms for the youth to learn about social issues.

“Churches must begin to discuss politics and the economy to enable the youth get a better understanding of issues,” he said