Ministry for Religious Affairs proposed

Kumasi, Jan.18, GNA - In view of the proliferation of religious Faiths and their numerous problems, a proposal has been made to the government to urgently consider the establishment of a Ministry solely responsible for Religious Affairs.

The Reverend Joseph Kwabena Gyimah, Founder of the True Light of Christ Church, who made the proposal was of the conviction that such an initiative would not only help effectively address problems of the divergent religious bodies, but would also help them make a more significant impact on moral and social development of people. Rev. Gyimah made the proposal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Abrepo, Kumasi, on Saturday on benefits to be derived from creation of a separate Ministry responsible for Religious Affairs in the country.

"Just like a separate Ministry has been set up by the government to cater for concerns and address problems of Women and Children, so in fairness to religious faiths, should a Ministry be also created for them", he stressed.

Rev. Gyimah contended that even though a body like the National Commission on Culture (NCC) had some over-sight responsibility on religious activities, "its concentration is more on culture development and therefore its impact on the religious sector is little felt". He said existence of the NCC is no grounds to deny religious bodies of a Ministry, explaining that even though there is a Ghana National Commission on Children (GNCC), it was still deemed prudent to create a Ministry for Women and Children.

Rev. Gyimah urged the various religious faiths to learn to co-exist and worship in harmony since they all worshipped the same God, saying, "the differences are that they are using different means to reach out to God with their prayers".