Right Reverend Kwamena Otoo, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Sekondi, on Saturday called on the country’s politicians to help the coun­try to develop.

Politicians must help in the effective management of the oil and gas sector to the benefit of the country, he said.

Right Reverend Otoo was preaching the sermon at the funeral service in Takoradi for the late Mrs Gladys Cecilia Asmah, for­mer Member of Parliament for Takoradi and Minister of State, who died at the age of 77 after a short illness.

He said everybody would die but death would be a blessing if people died in the Lord.

Right Rev Otoo said many people were happy to call themselves Christians who wanted to go to Heaven, but many of them would not get there becausc of the way they lived.

Former President John Kuffour at the funeral 

Dr. Mamudu Bawumia, Running Mate of the New Patriotic Party.

Paul Afoko (Chairman of NPP) and Kwabena Agyepong (General Secretary of NPP) paying their last respect to Mrs Asmah

He said if people wanted their lives to be meaningful, they must change their lifestyles and should not forget about God in their lives.

Right Rev Otoo said: "A voice from Heaven is always speaking but people pre­fer listening to a voice from the earth which tells them to do the wrong things."

He said people, including some in high places, were supporting homosexuality and other devilish things in the name of free­dom.

He said everybody wanted to get rich now, and if this happened, nobody would

be prepared to serve.

He said God wanted Mrs Asmah to live for a certain period to play some roles, which she performed creditably.

Right Rev Otoo said Mrs Asmah served God well with dedication and her faith was never shaken by adversity.

He said Mrs Asmah was likeable, hard­working and accommodating to all manner of people and was always prepared to serve.