Be Guided By Principles Of Diligence, Integrity - Owusu Ansah

Politicians have been urged to put the nation first and be guided by the principles of diligence, integrity and nation building.

Bishop Bernard Owusu Ansah of the Praise Valley Temple and Associate churches in Holland, who made the call, said Ghana's politics after Dr Kwame Nkrumah had not gone beyond the 'dining table' where prosperity was measured with three square meals.

He said successive governments had failed to provide the necessary foundations for future growth and development other than themselves and their families.

The Bishop was preaching on the topic “Change” at this year's Convention of Saints programme organised by the Royalhouse Chapel International in Accra. The eight-day convention was on the theme, “I will fear no evil”.

Some of the speakers at the convention were Reverend Dr Albert Odulele, the founder and pastor of Glory House, London; Reverend Eastwood Anaba, Founder and Senior Pastor of Fountain Gate Chapel Church in Bolgatanga; Reverend Jannie Ngwale from South Africa; Bishop Bernard Owusu Ansah from Holland and Reverend Sam Korankye Ankrah, Apostle General of Royalhouse Chapel International.

Bishop Owusu Ansah said the time had come for Ghana to rise up as the Black Star of Africa and build a solid foundation for future generations.

He challenged Ghanaians and Christians in particular to have an attitudinal change, saying it was time to combine both the spiritual and the physical and have positive attitude to life.

“Everything that sustains life is put in the earth and whatever you invest in you as an individual is what you get back,” he said, urging the congregation to position themselves for the challenges of the world.

He said a research had shown that eight of the 10 countries likely to collapse in the next decade were all in sub-Saharan Africa yet it was a continent that had most churches, prayed a lot and indulged in the things of God.

Rev. Owusu Ansah said the contradiction was unacceptable for it was not possible for God and failure to operate side by side.

He said born-again Christians used productive hours to pray and fast neglecting their work but days of effective prayers without work was over, and urged all to shun laziness, misuse of time and recklessness.

The Holland-based preacher called for diligence, hard work, truthfulness and the spirit of nationalism to transform Ghana.

He called for peace during the December elections and said it did not matter which party one belonged “we are all Ghanaians”.

On his part Rev. Eastwood Anaba challenged Ghanaians to put premium on love as the nation prepared for the December general election.

He said it was time for Christians and indeed the entire nation to be prepared to repay good for evil as a sure way of healing the nation and promoting peace.

Rev Anaba, who is also the outgoing Chairman of the Fountain Gate Chapel in Bolgatanga, in his two-day ministration on the theme, “Revolution of Love”, a departure of his usual firebrand messages, challenged the over 10,000 worshipers to kick-start from their homes the revolution, which is expected to impact positively on the entire nation.

Story by Mary Mensah & Daniel Kenu