The Diocese of the Methodist Church Ghana has held its 28th Annual Synod, with a call on Ghanaians to think together in addressing the issue of illegal mining, popularly known as Galamsey.
The Right Reverend Samuel Ofori-Akyea, the Tema Diocesan Bishop, made the call at the synod, said it was important to put aside politics in handling the issue to ensure that the nation was saved and preserved for generations unborn.
Rt. Rev. Ofori-Akyea said “I am very afraid that one day if we don’t stop some of these things, especially the galamsey, the nation will suffer; everybody will suffer. “We need to do something urgently about it, and I pray that this time we don’t use politics.”
He stressed that all Ghanaians must think positively to see what can be done and must unite to fight the galamsey menace, as that is the sure way to save the country from destruction.
Rt. Rev. Ofori-Akyea indicated that such environmental issues were also of concern to the church, as it was a subset of the country, and whatever happened in the country affected the church and vice versa; therefore, even though they would pray for the nation, citizens must also come together to do the right thing.
The Tema Diosecan Bishop indicated that the diocese has intensified its commitment to stewardship through targeted sanitation campaigns and tree planting exercises across its circuits. He added that sanitation was very important, urging religious organisations, especially the church, to be clean and healthy, especially by removing waste and providing a safe disposal system and clean water to the people.
He also encouraged tree planting, stating that it is part of the focus of the Methodist Church as part of its climate action and social responsibility effort. He noted that tree planting was part of the action plan of the diocese being championed by the social services coordinating office, integrating it into its environment ministry.
“Indeed, tree planting is not just an ecological gesture but a spiritual act of obedience. Therefore, let us continue to preserve the environment and leave a legacy of hope and life for generations to come,” he added. Mr Robert Andrew Taylor, the lay chairman for the Tema Diocese, said the church has rolled out leadership programmes that prepare and equip the youth to fit into leadership gaps when the current leaders are no more.
Mr Taylor stated that the Tema diocese has 13 circuits, with an expectation to grow six more, which will require more youth to occupy positions that come with it, adding that leadership always engages the youth due to the new trends in technology which they are savvy in. He said due to the many programmes they organised for the youth of the church, it helped them to eschew social vices such as drug abuse, adding that the institution would continually pray with them and encourages them to abstain from immoral activities.
Source: GNA
