Draw long-term plans for nation - Pastor

Tamale, Jan 16, GNA - Policy makers have been urged to draw long-term development plans to accelerate industrial growth to make Ghana a middle-income nation within the shortest possible time. The plans, which should cover all sectors, should be for 50 years subject to change depending on global economic circumstances. The Reverend Godwin Osei Bonsu, Northern Regional Head of the Church of Pentecost, made the call in Tamale on Sunday, at the close of a seven-day retreat of prayers and fasting organised for members of the Church for their spiritual upliftment.

It also formed part of activities to usher in the Golden Jubilee of the country's independence was on the theme: "You have a role to play in accomplishing God's purpose".

Rev Osei Bonsu said in line with the plans education and other sectors of must be structured with aim of ensuring that every Ghanaian was well educated and informed and with a sense of national direction. "We must always remember the truism that, we must know our destination before attempting to set off", he said.

Rev Osei-Bonsu said, "The time has come for us to take our destiny into our own hands rather than depend on foreign aid and loans attached with strings that entangle us and deny us true independence". He described this year as 93A Jubilee year of freedom and blessings" and said however, that these blessings would not come without any effort, saying, "Hard work must be our key word in all sectors of the economy. Then, with God on our side, our labour will not be in vain".

Rev Osei-Bonsu appealed to the warring factions in the Northern Region to bury their differences and to strive to understand and tolerate one another in the interest of peace.

Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister, in a speech read on his behalf expressed concern about indiscipline and crime, especially among the youth and attributed it to the desire to get rich quickly without working.

The government had put in place several interventions to create jobs for the people but these by themselves would not yield any result if the people did not play their roles effectively to complement the efforts of the government.

He appealed to Ghanaians to work harder for economic development and avoid practices such as bribery, smuggling and drug-trafficking. Alhaji Idris called on religious bodies to use their pulpits to educate the people on the benefits of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and to embrace it to enjoy affordable medical care.