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To promote the mission of charity in Ghana, Most Rev. Philip Naameh, Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale and President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference called on the Church to show leadership in championing charity works.
He made the called in Accra during the opening of the National Conference on Integral Human Development, on the theme “The Church in Ghana Today, and the Promotion of Integral Human Development (IHD): Rethinking and Reconstructing, Commitments, Approaches and Institutional Development.”
In appealing to Prelates to embrace emerging trends in the Church’s service of Charity, Archbishop Naameh, urged all to reexamine certain mindsets about charity of the Church.
“Be bold to re-examine the structures in the light of the Church’s teaching, reforms and demands from the people we serve for greater professionalism, good governance, transparency and accountability,” he stated.
“Let us examine them in the context of global best practices, discourses and approach to human development” the Archbishop added.
The Vice Rector of St. Victor’s Major Seminary, Tamale, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Daniel F. Saaka, speaking on Integral Human Development: Signs of the Time with the Mid of Pope Francis, called for fairer policies and ensure that no one is left behind in development programmes.
In reechoing the pontiff’s views on poverty, characterised by suffering, marginalization, oppression, war, medical emergencies, shortage of work, and forced migration, he said the integral human development concept should ensure that the needs of Ghanaians in access to education, healthcare, water, food, justice and decent work is catered for.
He called for proper Church-state collaboration to draw regulation to curtailed the social evils of corruption, selfishness, pride, greed and injustice, which make our leaders insensitive to the sufferings of the poor and the vulnerable as well as exacerbate their plights.
The Technical Advisor to the Senior Minster, Mr. Robert Poku Kyei, outlined government’s policies including the institution of public sector reforms to enhance efficient service delivery in the country.
He commended the Church for its role in integral development over the years, and urged her to continue supporting government tackle sanitation and land degradation problems, as well as keep working with government to enact policies to the benefit of the people.
Acknowledging the fact that the Church and state are condemn to work together, Ambassador William Awinador-Kanyirige, Chairman for the launch said the Church should leverage the knowledge and know-how to ensure that no one was left behind in her pursuit of integral development.
The Ambassador urged Caritas Ghana to link up with the laity in order to promote integral development in the country.
The three-day Conference which brought together Diocesan Development Officers all over the country, and Prelates as well as partners in the development, was organised by Caritas Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organisation of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference.
By Kwesi Yirenkyi Boateng
