Prez Mahama calls for greater church, govt collaboration: To enhance development

President John Dramani Mahama has called for greater partnership and collaboration between the government and the church to enhance national development.

He said even when the two disagreed on specific issues, that should not be a hindrance to the realisation of initiatives that would promote societal and human development.

The President said this when he joined West Africa Catholic bishops in a Holy Mass to climax the Second Plenary Assembly of the Regional Episcopal Conference of West Africa ( RECOWA-CERAO) at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra yesterday.

The President of the Conference, the Archbishop of Jos in Nigeria, Most Rev. Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, led the congregation in the Holy Mass.

The one-week conference was attended by 159 delegates comprising cardinals, archbishops and bishops from all the 16 countries of West Africa, the Regional Council of the Laity of West Africa (RLCWA), and the church’s partner agencies.

Held on the theme, “The new evangelisation and specific challenges for the church, family of God in West Africa: reconciliation, development, family life,” the participants discussed issues, including the current socio-political and cultural development of West Africa, and the enhancement of evangelisation in the sub region.

Progress

President Mahama stated that the conference was held at a time when West Africa and, indeed, the entire continent were making significant strides in their development, even though some challenges remained unaddressed.

For instance, he said, while Africa had made progress in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) some of the goals were yet to be met, citing Ghana, which was yet to meet the maternal mortality and sanitation goals.

Threats

Even as the continent made progress in its development, it equally faced serious threats from climate change, economic volatility and terrorism, the President said.

He said the dangers posed a challenge for the peoples of West Africa to come together to overcome the threats.

President Mahama recalled his visit to the Vatican in November 2014, when Pope Francis “interrogated” him on a number of pressing issues about the continent, including migration, youth employment and terrorism.

He described the Pope as a man full of wisdom and praised him for his special interest in human development and the peace of the world.

The President assured the bishops that he was committed to ensuring free, fair and peaceful elections in the country in November.

He congratulated the participants on a very successful conference.

Pastoral message

A pastoral message read by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle, at the Mass touched on issues, including the church and evangelisation, reconciliation, marriage and family life, and exhortation.

Stressing on what the church described as “new evangelisation, the message said, “It is to be Christo-centric, the responsibility of all the baptised. It is to be directed not only to those who have never heard of Jesus Christ in primary evangelisation, but also to those who have heard of and lost their love for Jesus Christ and His Church.”

The message also called for reconciliation in West Africa and in the church as the Pope had been preaching.

It spoke against religious persecution in Africa and other parts of the world.

On marriage and family life, the message said the church believed that they must be protected with all seriousness.