Indiscipline as a hindrance to development -Minister

Akim Oda, April 18, GNA - The Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, has said government was marshalling resources to curb indiscipline in the society because it had identified indiscipline as one of the main hindrance to the economic development of the country. This was contained in a speech read on his behalf at the formal opening of the Forth Biennial Conference and installation of new officers of the National Guild of the Good Shepherd of the Anglican Church at Akim Oda on Saturday.

The four-day conference is being organised under the theme: "Indiscipline in the society, the Church's role" and attended by delegates of member branches of the Guild throughout the country. Mr Osafo-Maafo, called on Christians to obey the laws of God and that of society so that the country would not have to spend the resources meant for development in dealing with problems that arose out of indiscipline.

The Deputy Minister of Defence, Mr Joseph Akudibillah, called on leaders of the Church to set good examples by exposing the indiscipline in the Church because the Bible teaches that, "judgement would start first from the house of the Lord."

He urged Reverend Ministers and elders of churches to use the pulpit to intensify the promotion of peace, unity and love for one another in all churches and in all fellowships. Mr. Akudibillah commended the efforts of the churches in general and the Anglican Church in particular, for keeping Ghana united as one people.

Rev. Fr Dr Victor Atta-Bafoe of the St. Nicholas Theological Institute, Cape Coast, called on Christians to have the prophetic voice to speak against the negative aspects of science and technology. He said the appreciation of the good things, which science and technology had brought to society should not blind the church to recognise the negative aspects as well.

Fr Dr Atta-Bafoe advocated for the establishment of good Christian homes where children would be educated to appreciate high Christian values as a way of doing away with the indiscipline in society. He called for the use of part of the confirmation classes of the church in educating the participants on reproductive health and their civic responsibilities so that they would grow to become good citizens. Earlier in a speech, the Rt. Rev. Francis Benjamin Quashie, the Anglican Bishop of Koforidua Diocese, called on the members of the Guild of Good Shepherd to use the conference to search for the reasons for the establishment of the Guild in the Anglican Church.

He called on the members to help unite the members of the Anglican Church and not to allow the Guild to be used to divide the Church. As part of the programme, the new national officers of the Guild, under the chairmanship of Ms. Comfort Tetteh, were sworn into office for the next two years.