The Chairman of the Executive Council of the Great Commission Church International, Rev. J. K. Antwi, has called on African countries to make efforts to free themselves from depending on their colonial masters. He said it was only when African countries were truly economically, politically and socially independent from their past masters that they could be strong enough to inter-depend on each other and exploit resources of Africa to the benefit of the continent. Rev Antwi was speaking on Sunday at Bunso at the end of a four-day General Council Meeting of the Church that is held once every five years. He said it was when African countries were independent that churches and other religious organizations in the continent would be free and strong enough to contribute their quota to the total development of the continent. In a resolution adopted at the end of the meeting, the church decided to focus its attention more on the youth and to commit more human and financial resources to support activities of the youth. The church will abandon its zonal conventions this year and instead organize local conventions to save the amount used in transporting members over long distances and support the youth camps of the church. It will strengthen the spiritual, social and financial capacities of the church and will launch a special training programme for elders of the church. At the end of the meeting an eight-member new executive committee for the church was elected to run the affairs of the church for the next five years under the chairmanship of Rev. J. K. Antwi. Other members of the council were Rev. Dr. S. Asuming-Brempong, vice-chairman in charge of missions, Rev. S. V. Ansah, vice-chairman in-charge of finance and administration, Rev. K. E. Hagan, director for ministries and Rev. R. Adanu, director of finance of the church. Others are Rev. G. D. K. Opeku, director of personnel, Rev. J. K. C. K. Tengey, director of church life and Rev. G. K. Gbloe, director of evangelism. Source: GNA