At the end of their Annual Plenary Assembly in Wa, Catholic Bishops in Ghana have observed that there are many challenges currently affecting the West African nation of Ghana which calls for some changes in the governance system.
In a Communique to the people of God and Ghanaians in general issued on November 12 and signed by the Most Rev. Philip Naameh, President of the the Conference, the Bishops said, “We your Bishops and many other Ghanaians have observed that our numerous challenges persist.”
These challenges among others mentioned by the Bishops include youth unemployment, bribery, corruption, greed, selfishness, lack of patriotism, poverty, deplorable roads, carnage on our roads, armed robbery, murder and other crimes, galamsey, weak and ineffective institutions of governance, abandoned and unfinished government projects, the culture of impunity, examination malpractices, violence, intimidation, attack on media men and women, human trafficking and abductions.
“This worrying state of our nation calls for some fundamental changes in our governance system with regard to strategic and well-structured development plans by all governments,” the Ghanaian Bishops stated.
In spite of the challenges, they appreciated the positive achievements chalked by successive governments of Ghana in the areas of infrastructure development, improved access to quality health, education and essential utilities such as water and electricity.
The eight-day Plenary was on the theme: “Fratelli Tutti and COVID-19: Pastoral Opportunities and Challenges in Ghana”, inspired by Pope Francis’ latest Encyclical Letter: Fratelli Tutti (on Universal Fraternity and Social Friendship and issued on October 3, 2020) and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The West African Prelates referred to Pope Francis, who said in Fratelli Tutti that “the development of a global community of fraternity based on the practice of social friendship on the part of peoples and nations calls for a better kind of politics, one truly at the service of the common good. Sadly, politics today often takes forms that hinder progress towards a different world.”
The Pope adds that, “for many people today, politics is a distasteful word, often due to the mistakes, corruption and inefficiency of some politicians”.
To this effect, Pope Francis observes that, “what is needed is a politics which is far-sighted and capable of a new, integral and interdisciplinary approach to handling the different aspects of the crisis. In other words, a ‘healthy politics is capable of reforming and coordinating institutions, promoting best practices and overcoming undue pressure and bureaucratic inertia”‘.
