The World Miracle Outreach has launched a one-week crusade and thanksgiving service as part of the country's Golden Jubilee. Dr. Lawrence Tetteh, a renowned international evangelist and President of the Outreach, who announced this at a news conference in Accra on Saturday, said the programme would start at the Independence Square in Accra on Monday and end with a Church service on Sunday. He paid tribute to the founding fathers of the nation who fought for Ghana's independence from British colonial rule and likened colonialism to the bondage that the nation of Israel, God's people were subjected to in their own land. He said Ghana had been through periods of slavery, oppression, foreign exploitation, injustice and indebtedness out of which it had emerged as a strong united and dignified nation. Dr. Tetteh pointed out that no matter what politicians said the nation would survive all political parties and commended all those who had contributed to what Ghana is today. He mentioned the early Christian missionaries who supported the country through the construction of school buildings, provision of teachers, training and development of human capital and the building of strong moral values. There were also several others who, through their individual sacrifices laid the foundation for the freedom and justice that Ghanaians were enjoying today, he said. The Evangelist noted that even though Ghana still had major challenges as a developing nation, Ghanaians must learn from the small and humble beginnings to praise where and when it was due. He, especially commended past presidents from Dr Kwame Nkrumah to date for their remarkable contribution to national development. The international evangelist stated Ghana was the only country in Africa and one of the few in the world that had a unique social interaction, which allowed Christians and followers of other religions to co-exist, inter-marry and even build churches and mosques next to each other in a peaceful environment. "We should never take these things for granted but rather unite and build upon these positive principles and value systems", he said. “The Jubilee celebration was instituted by God with specific instructions and laws that should guide the occasion,” Dr Tetteh said, adding; "It is a period of restoration of the land and property, national sovereignty and pride, peace with ourselves and our neighbours, joy and happiness and above all, the fear of God". "The Church in Ghana has prepared the nation through fasting and prayer conference to bring repentance and made proclamations to cleanse the nation in all the ten regions; the climax of which was held at the forecourt of the State House on the 5th of March, 2007". He invited all churches and people from other denominations to participate fully in the one-week prayer and thanksgiving service. "It is my prayer that you will all avail yourselves of the special blessings that comes with the Jubilee year some of which had already started manifesting itself in the form of the discovery of oil in commercial quantities and the gradual restoration of water in the Akosombo Dam", Dr. Tetteh stated. As part of the week, there would be a programme for blood donation, a soup kitchen at the Children's Park, a breakfast meeting at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, music festival at the Independence Square and a sports outreach at the Sports Stadium and a regional crusade at the various regional capitals. Dr. Tetteh called on the various political parties to bury their difference and come together to build the country's economy for the benefit of the people and future generations. Source: GNA