General News of Sunday, 8 July 2018

Source: Ananpansah B Abraham

Stop destroying the environment - Bishop Angkyier decries

Rev. Peter Paul Angyier Rev. Peter Paul Angyier

The Bishop of the Diocese of Damongo who doubles as the chairman of the Ghana Prison council,Most Rev. Peter Paul Angyier has widely condemned the destruction of the environment by some residents of Daboya in the North Gonja District of Northern Ghana.

The servant of the Lord bewailed the indiscriminate logging and commercial charcoal burning within the Bawena,Mankarigu,Kpulimbo, Yezori and Diisah areas of the North Gonja District which fall under the Damongo Diocese.

These activities he believed,are having a heavy toil on the environment and endangering our common future.

He made these remarks during a four-day pastoral visit to some parishes in the Diocese.

"As leaders,we have the duty to preserve the gifts of God for the benefit of the welfare of the entire community,"he said.

The Bishop who was alarmed,wondered why community members would co-operate with individuals and groups to exploit and destroy the environment.

He launched a passionate appeal to the overlord of the Wasipe Traditional Area and his sub-chiefs and politicians to put in place the necessary measures to clampdown on the twin evils which in his own words are "a slow killer to the lives of the inhabitants."

Weighing-in on the peace of the area,the Bishop observed that there was an eazily broken relationship among the different tribal groups.This he said had the tendency of breading suspicion and insecurity which are inimical to development.This is despite the apparent peace among the different people leaving in the area.

He lamented on the inadequate resources and infrastructural support to facilitate the work of the church,in terms of leadership due to high illiteracy rate among the people.