Marshallans attend conference

Mrs Cecilia Johnson, Chairperson of the Council of State, has underlined the need for African leaders to do more to overcome the indignity of intolerance and poverty that afflict the continent.

This, she said, calls for transparent and accountable governance, which focuses on investing in the people.

Mrs Johnson said those in leadership should put the general good of the society ahead of any other interest or consideration.

Mrs Johnson was addressing the eighth Marshallan Re-Union Conference of the Noble Order of the Knights and Ladies of Marshall at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi.

The two-day meeting brought together about 4,000 Marshallans from Ghana, Togo, Benin, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom.

The theme was: “Deepening the faith of the Marshallan for effective evangelisation.”

Marshallans are Catholic faithful, seeking to live by the aspirations of “Sir James Marshall”, a missionary, who dedicated himself to the cause of evangelisation in Ghana at the early part of the century.

Mrs Johnson said it is important for Africans to break down artificial barriers erected by the colonial powers and work together to turn things around.

She said the continent should show genuine desire to collaborate and engage in strong economic partnerships.

Mrs Johnson asked the conference to initiate programmes to respond to the needs of the poor, the vulnerable and the deprived.

The Most Reverend Joseph Osei Bonsu, Bishop of Konongo-Mampong and Supreme Spiritual Director of Knights of Marshall, advised the gathering to pray regularly to God, read the Holy Bible and to defend and protect the church at all times.

He said they should also live up to their social, civic, political and religious responsibilities.