The Rt. Rev. Dr. Lt. Col. B.D.K Agbeko (Rtd), Moderator of the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, has encouraged the citizenry to work towards Ghana recapturing its “enviable epithet standard as the Black Star of Africa”.
He asked them to strive to project Ghana as a shining star globally through good governance, excellence in sports, responsible mining, agriculture, trade and industry, academia and research, amongst others.
The Moderator gave the advice in his 2024 New Year Message.
He thanked God for His continuous care and blessings on citizens adding that, Ghana’s survival and sustenance in 2023 was a clear manifestation of God’s faithfulness, steadfast love and grace.
The Moderator said many Ghanaians, particularly the vulnerable had been largely affected by the economic crisis experienced globally, but God saw the nation through it all.
He noted that COVID-19, the Russian-Ukraine War, the Israeli-Hamas war and many other unfortunate occurrences had adversely affected Ghana.
However, it had also offered Ghanaians the opportunity to be steadfast in faith, to hope for the best, to demonstrate their love to one another and above all to learn to trust in God as their sustainer and helper in overcoming all the challenges they faced.
“Over the span of 2023, we have seen some of our colleagues in parts of Northern Ghana continue to suffer dreadful consequences due to resurgence of communal conflicts, whilst many inhabitants of communities along the Volta Lake in parts of Southern Volta, Eastern and North East parts of Ghana were recently hit with horrible misfortune of displacement, loss of properties and other various forms of afflictions as a result of the spillage of the Akosombo Dam.
“We have also experienced some changes in our climate due to reckless and indiscriminate degradation of our environment, including illegal mining as well as destruction of our forest and water bodies.”
He said it was time Ghanaians embraced their natural duty and civic responsibility to preserve the earth and adopt best practices required to sustain the environment.
He said as everyone welcomed the year 2024 with fervent hope and aspiration, it was important for individuals and stakeholders in governance, public service, private sector, and civil society, to examine their shortcomings and make amends required to re-position the country on the path of progress for effective sustainable growth and development.
The Moderator said State actors and stakeholders must submit to the tenets and virtues of their religious faith to uphold high standards of ethical and moral values of integrity, loyalty and dedication in the discharge of their stewardship responsibilities.
