Church and state urged to foster closer ties

Tamale, May 19, GNA - The Reverend Ezekeiel L Nabicha, Chairman of the Upper/Northern Presbytery of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church has called for closer collaboration between the church and the state to uplift the socio-economic conditions of the people. He said: "With the limited economic resources of the country, the government alone cannot provid e all the infrastructure development and basic needs of the people.

"I therefore entreat religious organisations, NGOs and the communities to join hands to address the problems of disease, education healthcare and employment," he said.

Rev Nabicha was addressing the annual Upper/Northern Presbytery Conference of the Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Church, Ghana in Tamale on Friday, which was on the theme: "Focus and commitment". He appealed to churches, other religious bodies and civil society organisations to assist the government in promoting good governance, peace and stability.

He mentioned that the E P Church had made modest contributions to the development of education, health and agriculture in Northern Ghana. In the area of education, Rev Nabicha said the Church had a total of 107 schools, including 13 pre-schools, 81 primary schools, 10 junior secondary schools, two senior secondary schools and one Teacher Training College.

Rev Nabicha said the Church's clinics at Wapuli, Kpalba and Blajai in the eastern corridor of the Northern Region were also ably supporting to provide healthcare services to the people in those communities. In addition, he said, the Church had established agricultural stations at Yendi, Saboba and Chereponi, which were contributing greatly to improve the living conditions of the people.

Rev Nabicha announced that the Church would soon start a large piggery project in the Yendi E P Farms and similar sub-projects in other districts, while it would encourage "grain-banking" throughout the presbytery.

The Rev Gilbert Yaw Nachim, Chaplain of the E P Training College at Bimbilla, who spoke on the theme for the conference, urged the congregation to remain focused and committed in all their endeavours. 19 May 06