Bishop expresses worry over environmental degradation

Right Reverend Kofi Asare Bediako, the Bishop of the Sunyani Diocese of the Methodist Church, Ghana has expressed worry at the rapid degradation of the Ghanaian environment.

He said human beings were the stewards of all God’s creation, but their gross neglect and abuse was making the planet less hospitable.

Rt Rev Asare Bediako cited illegal mining, contamination and destruction of water bodies, the menace of plastic waste and littering, open defecation, indiscriminate burning of vegetation, illegal lumbering and lack of reforestation, as some of the human activities that had affected the environment and the quality of lives of the people.

The Diocesan Bishop said illegal mining “galamsey” had the greatest potential to destroy the whole country, describing it as dangerous as terrorism and called for concerted efforts by all to fight and conquer the menace.

Rt Rev Asare Bediako made the remark during the official opening of the 38th Annual Synod of the Sunyani Diocese of the Methodist Church, Ghana, at the Emmanuel Methodist Church, Nkwabeng, a suburb of Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region.

It was on the theme: “Go and make disciples of all nations: Consolidating the gains in Evangelism, Church Growth and Infrastructural Development.”

Bishop Asare Bediako called for non-partisan approach to curbing galamsay, saying that; “no political party should pamper galamsey operation with the view to attracting votes, while the success of district assemblies must be measured by their ability to stamp out galamsey.”

He called on Parliament to enact laws to combat galamsey and appealed to judges to mete out stiff punishment to offenders to render the activity unprofitable, while Christians must pray and preach against the menace.

Giving account of his over five years stewardship as Diocesan Bishop, Rt Rev Asare Bediako said the total Christian community grew from 31,699 in 2012, to 40,918 in 2017, posting a percentage increase of 29.

He said societies increased from 209 in 2012 to 226 in 2017, registering a growth rate of 13 per cent.

He expressed excitement of the increase from seven to 17 of the societies in the Sunyani Municipality alone, adding that his administration added three more health facilities to the only one he met.

Mr Kwaku Asoma Cheremeh, the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister speaking on the theme of the synod, said the church and the State had similar aspirations of reaching out to the larger members of society and working to improve their quality of life.

He therefore called for closer and sustained collaboration between the two institutions for the physical, mental, economic and spiritual transformation of all Ghanaians.

Mr Cheremeh acknowledged the role of chiefs and traditional rulers through the provision of land for infrastructural development and urged traditional authorities in the Brong Ahafo Region to quickly curb the incidence of multiple land sales, which had resulted in land litigation and retardation of community and national development.

This is the last Synod that Bishop Asare Bediako would be presiding over as he gives way to the Very Rev Daniel Kwasi Tannor in the course of the year.

Source: GNA

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