Rely more on churches in the AIDS education campaign

Kumasi, Dec 15, GNA - The Right Reverend Nuh Ben Abubekr, Methodist Bishop of Kumasi, has called on the Ghana AIDS Commission (GAC) to rely more on the use of churches for the national anti-AIDS campaign to ensure maximum impact and effective application of the AIDS funds.

He noted that the churches apart from the structures and needed human resources already in place, would be more accountable in the use of whatever funds that might be channelled through them.

He said money-making appeared to be the major motivation of a number of Community Based Organisations (CBOs) and Non-governmental organisations claiming to be engaged in the fight to stop the spread of the disease and that was one of the reasons the country was not seeing much results from the AIDS campaign.

Bishop Abubekr made the call at a church service to round off a five-day annual diocesan crusade held at the Jackson's Park in Kumasi on Sunday.

It was on the theme: "Come to me all who labour and are heavy laden".

Bishop Abubekr said the church's position on the AIDS campaign was that of total abstinence and faithfulness on the part of married couples to their spouses.

"Sex is for the married", he said, adding that, it was to help bring this fact home to all that it was encouraging the establishment of "virgins for Christ Clubs" in every society of the church in the diocese.

The Methodist Bishop said the church was determined to offer every support to members of the clubs so that they would take pride in their virginity.

He also outlined plans to provide employable skills training to the unemployed members of the church.

The programme, which would take off next year would involve financing their training in various vocations and giving them seed capital to establish their businesses after the training. "We will no longer encourage idleness", he said, pointing out that members of the congregation could only honour their obligations to the church by way of tithe payment and offertory only when they had something doing and earn income.

The Rt. Rev Abubekr told Christians to do away with hypocrisy and become more genuine, honest and sincere to their faith.