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15.08.2004 Politics

Political leaders urged to avoid inflammatory statements

15.08.2004 LISTEN
By GNA

Accra, Aug 15, GNA- The Synod of the Global Evangelical Church on Sunday urged the Government and all political parties involved in the on-going electoral process to continue to exercise maturity and decorum in all their actions.

In a communiqu=E9 issued at the end of its 63rd synod in Accra, the Church appealed to all political leaders to exhibit high qualities of tolerance and avoid inflammatory statements that could undermine the country's infant democratic process.

The communiqu=E9 tasked all Ghanaians to commit themselves, to the use of courteous and moderate language as well as take keen interest in ensuring the integrity, transparency and fairness of the forth-coming elections.

The Synod commended the Government, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), the United Nations, and the rest of the international community in their efforts to restore peace and stability in various troubled spots in the world.

On the economic front, the synod pledged its support for the various Government efforts to lay a sound foundation for a sustainable economic development.

The Synod appealed to Government to put in place more interventional measures to enable the policies initiated, to be translated on the average Ghanaian.

There was also an endorsement of Government's programmes at improving agricultural production. But the Synod tasked Government to help in the introduction of simple technology in irrigation to ensure all year round crop production.

In the social sector, the Synod expressed its appreciation for the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) as a reliable way for Health care financing in the country and urged all Ghanaians to enrol in the various schemes to derive the maximum benefits.

The Comminique lauded Government's efforts to provide incentives for the health professional both in the public and the private sectors. However, it asked Government to consider enhancing the remunerative package for health professionals to induce the few ones serving in the country to remain at post.

On HIV/AIDS, the Synod called on both Government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to sustain their educational programmes on the disease.

The communiqu=E9 expressed concern on the deteriorating environmental sanitation in cities and called on the District, Municipal, Metropolitan Assemblies and the Town and Country Planning Department to strictly enforce Town Development regulations to ensure that residential property developers provide adequate sanitary facilities for occupants.

On Religion, the Synod thanked God for the religious tolerance in the country but noted the negative activities of some churches and religious organisations, which had the potential of tarnishing the image of the Christian churches in the country.

The Synod therefore, called on the Ghana Pentecostal Council, the Christian Council, the Catholic Bishop Conference and other organised religious organisations to set in motion various measures towards establishing a standard code of ethics and morality to guide members. The 63rd Synod was held in Accra between August 10 and 15 on the theme: "There is more Land to Take." Representatives from various presbyteries from Ghana, Togo and the United States, attended the five-day Synod, which dwelt on education, health, politics and agriculture.

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