Ghanaians should work hard in 2010- Rev. Osei- Wusah

Kumasi, Jan. 1, GNA - Reverend Dr. Kojo Osei-Wusuh, Senior Pastor of the Grace Baptist Church at Amakom in Kumasi, has charged Ghanaians to take advantage of the New Year to transform their lives. He said God had given the nation another opportunity to develop and noted that it was only through hard work that Ghana could move to a higher pedestal.

The Rev. Minister was preaching at a watch night service to usher in 2010. It was on the theme: "God's open door of opportunities." He said even though there were great times of distress in the world, through hard work, patience and endurance Ghana could achieve her development objectives.

The Senior Pastor advised the citizenry not to sit idle and look up to the government for solutions to their problems, but must endeavour to work hard to contribute to the nation's growth. Preaching at the Ramseyer Memorial Presbyterian Church at Adum, the Rev. Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong, Chairperson of the Asante Presbytery of the Church called on Christians to pray fervently to God to shower his blessings on the nation.

He said prayer was a powerful tool needed to galvanise the socio-economic aspirations of every society, stressing that, the nation could only achieve her development objectives with regular prayers and supplication to God. Rev. Opuni-Frimpong reminded Christians that it was their responsibility to address the ascendancy in social vices that is threatening the moral fibre and sustainable progress of the nation.

He called for unity, peace and social harmony among the citizenry and wished that Ghanaians would work hard for increased productivity. Preaching at the Wesley Cathedral Church at Adum in Kumasi to usher in the New Year, Right Rev. Professor Osei Safo-Kantanka, Methodist Bishop of Kumasi, underscored the need for Ghanaians to put behind them all forms of negative practices and utterances.

He said they should cultivate the habit of positive thinking in their endeavours and be each other's keeper to foster social harmony. Rev. Safo-Kantanka said the church should collaborate with government in initiating development projects to uplift the standard of living of the people to help reduce poverty.

The Bishop called on the nation's leaders to set a clear agenda in respect to development programmes in order to remain focused.

At the Bantama Peyer Memorial Presbyterian Church in Kumasi, the Rev. Peter Kofi Nyarko, called on political parties to promote the interest of the nation and not to be pre-occupied with their selfish gains. He said the aim of every political party should not be the winning power how to utilise the nation's human and natural resources. Rev. Nyarko implored Ghanaians to eschew ethnicity and hatred and live in unity.

The Rev. Edward Ray Cudjoe Odame, General Overseer of the King's Church Ghana, charged Ghanaians to forgive sins committed against them. Preaching at a watch night service at South Suntreso in Kumasi, he said the essence of Christ's birth was to give hope to the world. He stressed the need for Christians to love one another and avoid hatred.

Rev. Odame advised Christians to lead holy lives and abide by Biblical tenets for the growth of Christianity. He said Christians as agents of change should commit resources to campaign vigorously against the ascendancy of social vices.