Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, the Right Honourable Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has encouraged Christians in Ghana not sit on the fence in the political affairs of the country but actively participate in and contribute to peace and stability in the nation.
He said that Christians should blame themselves “if you leave the affairs of management of this country in the hands of charlatans.”
The Speaker said these in a message as the Special Guest of Honour at the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a Parish Hall and Rectory for the St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church at Nii Boiman in the Archdiocese of Accra on Sunday May 1, 2022.
The message was read on behalf of the Speaker by Honourable James Agalga, Member of Parliament for Builsa-North, who also performed the sod-cutting ceremony. He was assisted by the Parish Priest of St. Joseph the Worker Church, Rev. Fr. Mathias Gyato and the Chairperson of the Pastoral Council, Mrs. Catherine Addae.
The Ground-breaking ceremony for the Parish Hall project coincided with the Feast Day of St. Joseph the Worker Church and the inauguration of the Northern Catholic Union in the Parish.
“Reverend Father, permit me to use your pulpit to express my gratitude to the Christian Community in Ghana and the Catholic Church in particular for their political guidance in the country,” Speaker Bagbin said.
He added: “I encourage you not to despair in the political activities of the country, but rather, see yourselves duty-bound to contribute to peace and stability in the country.”
“I encourage all selfless and positive thinking citizens, Christians with good morals and Catholics in particular with high sense of dedication and loyalty, to play key roles in the political affairs of this country.
According to him, “Fanatical partisanship is fast gaining root, and we are beginning not to trust both individuals and systems, even though Ghana has one of the best structures when it comes to democratic framework,” urging Christians: “My good people of God, do not sit on the fence, else we could sink to the lowest ebb once more.”
“Let us get involved, for the sake of our humanity and posterity; and by so doing, we could have our sins blotted out and receive the eternal grace that we all relish for,” Speaker Bagbin said.
On the construction of the Church Complex Hall, the Speaker urged all the parishioners to give in their best in support of the noble project.
“I pray that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who guided the earlier missionaries through to come here, and who has guided our church all this while, continue to guide us and make St Joseph the Worker Catholic Church here in Nii Boiman a light and a shining star of the Archdiocese, and may that light never go dim,” he added.
In a homily at the Mass, Fr. Gyato told parishioners to own the Parish Hall Complex project, contributing their energy, time and resources towards its completion.
The multi-million cedi project when completed will consist of a Parish Hall and other ancillary facilities to accommodate the Parish Priest as well as visiting Priests and also serve as a venue for other youth development programmes.
