The Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Dr Julius Debrah, has called for a strong partnership between the government and the church to address national challenges for the benefit of all Ghanaians.

“Our communities definitely continue to face the challenges of poverty, teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, indiscipline, crime and weakening of our revered family values,” he stressed.

He said these challenges could not be solved by the government alone and required a national response, adding that “obviously, the church must be an important part of this response towards our national progress”.

Annual session

Dr Debrah made the remarks in a speech read on his behalf by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, at the opening ceremony of the 63rd annual session of the Ghana Baptist Convention (GBC) in Ejura in the Ejura Sekyedumase Municipality of the Ashanti Region.

The five-day event was held on the theme: “Revived to Reach Out: Proclaiming Christ in Every Community” (Romans 10:14-15).

He said the government and the church would continue to deepen their collaboration to reach every community, irrespective of its geographical location in the country.

History

He stated that the history of Ghana’s development could not be complete without acknowledging the contributions of the church, especially in hard-to-reach communities.

He stressed that across the nation, churches had established schools, skills training centres and hospitals, as well as introduced several social interventions that continued to support societal growth.

“They have helped us to mobilise communities and shaped generations of Ghanaian citizens. The presence of the church, particularly at the grassroots level, and its partnership is a good tool for national development,” he stated.

Commendation

Dr Debrah used the occasion to commend the leadership and members of the Ghana Baptist Convention for playing their part in the nation’s development journey, saying, “I wish to encourage you to continue to expand into more important works”.

“Your church may have branches in areas where even local authorities may not have an opportunity to reach. You see communities in moments of celebrations and difficulty,” he stated.

He said the country possessed a lot of potential, but potential alone could not transform communities unless it was matched with partnership, leadership and the needed investments.

“Therefore, I encourage the Ghana Baptist Convention to deepen its collaboration beyond the national level in areas such as healthcare, education, sanitation and social welfare, among others, for the benefit of the citizenry,” he stated.

Contributions

The Executive Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rev. Dr Cyril G. K. Fayose, lauded the GBC for its contributions to the growth of Christianity and the transformation of communities in the country.

He said the church’s efforts in evangelism, discipleship, education, health, social ministry and community development continued to strengthen the church and the nation.

Touching on the theme, he said at a time when many communities were searching for hope, meaning, peace and direction, the church had a sacred responsibility to proclaim Jesus Christ faithfully and compassionately.

Highlights

In a welcome address, the Executive President of the Ghana Baptist Convention, Rev. Enoch Nii Narh Thompson, said the session would consider the church’s strategic plan for the next four years, the convention-level succession management programme and the proposal to centralise the salaries of ministers, among others.

While commending the ministers and members for their commitment and dedication to the church’s growth, he said, “We are grateful for the nation’s leadership and their efforts towards our forward march.”