NGO support Schools

Nsawam (E/R) October 3, GNA - The Muslim Family Support Agency, a non governmental organisation (NGO), on Friday donated educational items worth 5 million cedis to the Al Rajhi Primary and Junior Secondary schools Complex at Adoagyiri-Zongo in the Akuapem South District. The items, which included pens, exercise books and drawing boards, were given to more than 300 pupils and students of the schools.

In a related development, the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Ghana and Zongo Youth Foundation also NGOs offered one year scholarship to 13 needy and brilliant students of the school to enable them to complete their education. Alhaji Musah Zakari, Chairman of the Nsawam branch of the Agency who made the presentation called on the beneficiary children to learn hard to enable them to pass their examinations to justify the investment being made in their education. He said the gesture formed part of efforts being made by the Agency to encourage parents to send their children, especially the girl-child to school.

Alhaji Musah appealed to parents to complement efforts being made by teachers to train children by ensuring that their children were discipline and studied at home.

Mr Felix Ofosu, the Akuapem South District Assistant Director of Education in-charge of Supervision, commended the NGOs for contributing to the development of education in the area. Alhaji Abdul Mutalabi, Headteacher, who received the items on behalf of the schools thanked the NGOs for the assistance and promised that the items would be put to good use.

Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim, President of the Islamic Council for Development and Humanitarian services, in a speech for him announced that a 500 million-cedi vocational school complex would be established at Adoagyiri-Zongo to train women in dressmaking, hairdressing, catering, batik, tye and dye making.

Aliu urge Christians to back faith with discipline

Accra, Oct. 3,GNA - Vice President Aliu Mahama on Sunday delivered a sermon on God's demand on man to obey His laws and that of the nation and urged the Clergy to often link God's message on righteousness to the Campaign For Greater Discipline.

Calling for a commitment to uphold the law in every sphere of life, the Vice President said the huge population of Christians could rescue the nation from indiscipline if they would let their lights shine on the roads, at their workplaces, homes and elsewhere. Vice President Mahama was addressing the Nazareth Society of the Methodist Church, at Mamprobi, Accra, as the guest of honour at the fifth anniversary celebration of the Church's branch of Susanna Wesley Mission Auxiliary (SUWMA), a service organisation. The theme of the celebration is, "Eradication of Indiscipline in the Church."

Vice President Mahama noted: "The word of God commands us to obey and pray for the authorities of the land. To obey the laws of Ghana is, therefore, to do the bidding of God.'' "The survival of the church and the society as an orderly one depends upon how much we respect and obey the laws of the land." The message, backed with several quotations from the Bible, ended with spontaneous applauds from the congregation, who had mainly listened quietly with rapt attention and nodded their heads in approval of the message.

Vice President Mahama said: "Throughout the history of God's people as is recorded in the Bible, the Lord God always made rules for His people as a means of creating and keeping the uniqueness, cohesiveness and orderliness of the society." He referred to the 10 commandments as one of those set of rules, adding that because God abhors indiscipline he deported Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden when they flouted His law. Vice President Mahama, therefore, exhorted Christians to obey the law not only in church but everywhere they found themselves, saying that they should be mindful of God's omnipresent nature, which no one could hide from.

The Vice President said it was untenable for Christians to do the wrong thing with the excuse that it is difficult to be upright under harsh socio-economic conditions. He said: " I wonder if Jesus will accept that excuse. Indeed, God knows about the pain in uprightness. He says in Hebrews 12:11 that, for the moment of discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained for it'." He stressed that there was reward in being disciplined and said God subscribes success, blessings and prosperity to any individual or nation on the ability to do His bidding.

Vice President Aliu Mahama said: "Indeed, it is written in Deuteronomy Chapter 28 that, 'if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments, which I command you this day, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth". He commended Christians for their tolerance, which enabled different denominations to worship on the same premises, and urged other religious groups to emulate them for peace to prevail.

Vice President Mahama requested for 'a spiritual warfare' for the nation to be able to reap the benefits endowed her by God. "This country is blessed and highly favoured but it will take some amount of spiritual warfare before it can burst out into the glory and riches that God has bestowed on it. This victory can only come and stay as long as the praying hands of the Church are up."

The Reverend Andrew Thompson, the former Chaplain of the Society, in a sermon, asked Christians to lead lives worthy of emulation wherever they found themselves and champion the crusade for cleanliness in their communities.

SUWMA was founded on the principles of Susanna Wesley, mother of John and Charles Wesley, founding members of Methodism. The organization renders service and humanitarian duties in the church and communities. Vice President Mahama donated five million cedis to the further the cause of SUWMA. Professor Kasim Kasanga, Minister of Environment and Science and Mr John Benam Jabaah, deputy Minister of Employment and Manpower Development were among his entourage.