Change attitude towards handling of currency- Minister

Kumasi, April 8, GNA- Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, Ashanti Regional Minister, has said that it was time people changed their attitude towards the handling of the nation's currency. He said the way the currencies are handled do not speak well of the value people give to money.

The notes he noted were distorted and dirty, others patched with cello tapes with inscriptions on them or torn at the tips.

He was addressing a congregation of over 2,000 at the Saint Martin's de-Porres Catholic Church at Atonsu in Kumasi on Easter Sunday. Mr Owusu-Ansah said such negative practices were not common with foreign currencies and expressed the hoped that when the new Ghana Cedi is introduced, people would handle it carefully to curtail government's spending on printing new notes as replacements.

The Regional Minister said there was the need for people to protect government property at all levels to enable government to channel funds for development projects instead of into repairs.

He appealed to Christians to let hard work, honesty, love and forgiveness be their guiding principles.

Mr Owusu-Ansah later unveiled a plaque for the construction of an 18-classroom structure for the church and donated five million cedis towards its construction.

Most Reverend Gabriel Justice Anokye, Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi, who was on a pastoral visit to the parish, said Christians have every right to celebrate the resurrected Jesus because He died to save mankind.

He said as Christians celebrate Easter, they should eschew all negative tendencies that hinder the development of the church and the nation.

He urged them to participate in community development as well as other physical and spiritual activities to the glory of God. Mr George Ofori-Yeboah, chairman of the Advisory Board of the parish, said the parish had seen a lot of development and growth in membership since the Bishop's last visit.

He said the long-awaited school project was finally opened in September last year with an initial intake of 85 pupils.