The Speaker of Parliament has commended the New Patriotic Party Government for instituting the National Reconciliation Commission. Mr. Ebenezer Begyina Sekyi Hughes says the NRC offered victims of abuse the opportunity to pour out what was in their hearts and minds and embrace their perceived enemies. He admonished however that such a useful exercise to chart the cause of reconciliation and unity must not be a nine-day wonder. Mr. Hughes said this in an address read on his behalf at the opening session of the 49th Annual National Congress of the Union of Anglican Students’ (NUAS) at Protestant Chapel at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi on Saturday. The three-day Congress being attended by over 250 delegates is under the theme; “That They may be one”. The Speaker of Parliament said as Christian students, they needed to partner government to ensure the sustainability of this peace building and reconciliation process even when the work of the NRC was over. He pointed out that it was also their responsibility to assist the government to purge the society of bribery and corruption by maintaining the highest level of integrity and conducting themselves above reproach. Mr. Ato Ampiah, Chief Executive Officer of Crystal Auto Company noted that the mobilization of the youth of the church was the key to the survival and growth of the church. Speaking on the theme of the Congress, he emphasized that the theme was appropriate at this period of Ghana’s history both as a nation and a church and that it could not be downplayed. He said the conflicts that had engulfed the nation’s neighboring countries were clear exemplifications of what the absence of unity could do adding that the joy with which “we celebrated our Golden Jubilee anniversary and our successes at the World Cup clearly exemplifies the sweetness of oneness and purpose”. Mr. Ampiah said it was not for nothing that developed Europe and was still working hard at the European Union as a strategy to be counted amongst the powers of the World. “It is a paradoxical therefore that while these rich nations are working to come together, submerging their nationhood and dissolving their national boundaries, we of the poor African nations are basking in the pride of nationhood and further strengthening our colonial boundaries with zeal,” he said. “I will exhort you to look to the future with unity as your aim. It is with unity that the Union can grow to be of service to Christ and mankind. It is by unity that you can command the respect of the church you serve and it is by unity as a purpose that you could strengthen the church and its organs through advocacy for unity”. The Right Reverend Daniel Yinkah Sarfo, Anglican Bishop of Kumasi congratulated the leaders of the Union for a good work done and wished the incoming Executives well and God’s guidance. He said for the next 50 years the focus should be on the youth to build in them moral excellence, and leadership to keep in them good African values. “You need to be one to build the human resource among the youth at all levels for both the growth of the church and the nation. You need to position yourselves to do the work of evangelism particularly among your peers”, the Bishop said. Mr. Michael Ntim, National President of the Union called on the youth in the church to rise up and help build it, no matter the pressure or problems they face. Source: GNA