Christians urged to commit resources to national development

Paapa Owusu-Ankomah, Minister of Education, Science and Sports, has called on Christians to commit resources towards the accelerated socio-economic development of the nation.

This, he said, they could do by observing their civic responsibilities, honouring their tax obligation and demonstrating patriotism in their activities in support of an effective state-church relationship.

Paapa Owusu-Ankomah made the call in a speech read on his behalf at the launch of a New Testament version of the Holy Bible into 'Esahie' local dialect of Sefwi people at a ceremony at Sefwi-Wiawso in the Western region on Saturday.

He stressed the need for Christians to also do away with practices and beliefs that had the tendency to stagnate the nation's bid to reach a middle-income status by 2015.

The Minister commended the Bible Society of Ghana (BSG) for its commitment to ensuring that the Bible was translated into the various languages in the country with the view to enhancing the cultural identity and aspiration of the people.

He charged the 'Esahie' speaking communities in the country to patronize the Bible and practise its tenets for the eradication of moral decadence in the society.

The Reverend Kofi Owusu, General Secretary of the BSG, lauded the language stylists, linquists and anthropologists for their immense contribution to the realization of the Esahie New Testament Bible project.

He pointed out that the BSG would next year start a similar translation of the New Testament Bible into the Dagbani and Dagaari languages.

The Esahie New Testament Bible was translated from the original Greek Aramaic language under the supervision of the Bible Society of Ghana (BSG). The translation project commenced in the early 1990's and ended this year.

The BSG had, since its establishment in 1966 succeeded in supervising the translation of the original Greek Aramaic full Bible into the Ga, Akuapem-Twi, Asante-Twi, Ewe, Nzema and Dangbe languages.