Daily Graphic, (page 3), Thurdays March 19/09
Story Rebecca Quaicoe-Duho
THE Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) has urged factions engaged in conflicts in the northern part of the country to allow the National Peace Council (NPC) to do its work to ensure lasting peace in the area.
It has also urged the security agencies to be swift and professional in apprehending trouble makers in the area to avoid political coloration.
The Chairman of the CCG, Rev Dr Yaw Frimpong-Manso, made the call on behalf of the council at its annual general meeting in Accra yesterday.
He also advised political parties to desist from any form of involvement that would aggravate the situation in the northern regions or any other part of the country.
Rev Dr Frimpong-Manso said the CCG had been on course as far as its quest for peace and good governance was concerned but added that “our major concern, though, is the renewed violence in the northern part of Ghana, specifically Tamale and Bawku”.
He, however, commended the government for its prompt action in addressing the situation in the affected areas.
He said the council, which will celebrate its 80 years of existence, would continue to follow with keen interest events on the political, social and religious landscape, adding that on the political scene, “we have enjoyed maximum co-operation from all stakeholders”.
He further called for co-operation from all denominations in the country and other identifiable Christian organisations to help in reviving the activities of the Ghana Evangelistic Committee (GEC) to help bring into fruition the third National Church Survey, which is aimed at witnessing the Gospel to Ghanaians.
“The council will continue to be the mouthpiece of its members in advocating a peaceful and just society where the highest premium will be placed on unity, respect, dignity and integrity of God’s creation,” he said.
Touching on the council’s financial status, Rev Dr Frimpong-Manso bemoaned its financial situation, saying that “during the year, partner support for the council’s core programmes reduced drastically, making it difficult to even meet some obligations of the secretariat”.
He further stated that although 2008 was an improvement on 2007, many member churches still owed the council to the tune of GH¢45,000 as of December 31, 2008 and called on members to honour their financial obligations.
The General Secretary of the CCG, Rev Dr Fred Deegbe, who enumerated some of the activities undertaken by the council in the year under review, said despite its financial constraints, the council made significant progress in the performance of its activities.
He said it was able to strategically position itself as a research-based advocacy institution and also engaged member churches in advocacy and capacity building to enable them to engage in issues of governance.
Rev Dr Deegbe also said the council was able to secure funds for the training and involvement of its members in voter education and election monitoring during last year’s polls and was also able to engage the council and local council of churches in peace building and conflict resolution in some conflict endemic areas of the country.
He said the CCG, in collaboration with other Christian churches, also organised a successful week of national prayer and fasting towards peaceful elections and collaborated with others in ensuring peaceful elections, transition and the smooth handing over to a new government.
On the way forward, Rev Dr Deegbe said the CCG was in the process of reviewing its constitution “to enable it to meet some of the challenges of change necessitated by the times we live in”.
He said the council would also concentrate on working on its main focus of socio-economic development, gender and human rights.
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