As Ghana prepares to usher a new political administration under President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo, a call has gone out to Ghanaians overseas to seize the moment and quickly get themselves involved in rebuilding the national economy.
Rev Ransford Awuku-Gyampoh of the Royal Presbyterian Church of Ghana in Sydney, Australia, made the call at a sermon on Sunday to give thanks to God for the peaceful election in Ghana earlier this month.
Rev Awuku-Gyampoh said the in-coming government’s program of “one district one factory” is a rare opportunity for Ghanaians overseas to present businesses to government that could meet the criteria under the flagged program.
“I believe the government will give special incentives to investors who are keen to set up factories and other businesses in all parts of the country to advance the administration’s economic agenda”.
“What the government needs to do is to lower the hurdles at air and sea ports that face importers of machinery and parts, as well as raw materials and other equipment. Duty paid on such items and others should be reduced so businesses can employ the thousands of unemployed young people”, he said.
The day also marked the 188 years since the first missionaries of the Basel Evangelical Society of Switzerland, forerunners of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, arrived on the Gold Coast. More importantly, it was the fourth and last Advent – the period of four Sundays and weeks before Christmas.
Rev Awuku-Gyampoh asked Christians to reflect on the lives of Joseph and Mary, the parents of the unborn Jesus Christ.
“The young couple have much to teach us all, especially married couples. This was a man whose fiancé was pregnant, not by him but by the Holy Spirit. Yet he believed and trusted the explanation the angel offered. How many of us wouldn’t have quickly broken off the engagement and shamed the woman if we were in a similar situation?” he asked.
Joseph did all he could – not to shame Mary but to protect and honour her even in that “difficult” period of the relationship.
The minister urged Christians to emulate such examples Jesus’ life offer us, entreating them to let holiness and the sanctity of marriage reflect in their everyday lives.
“Keep family secrets, honour and protect your family, and don’t let idle gossip and unproductive conversations destroy the family unit”.
Rev Awuku-Gyampoh, on behalf of Presbyterians in Australia, congratulated Rt Rev Prof Cephas Omanyo on his election as the new Moderator of the General Assembly of PCG. He also thanked the recently retired Moderator Very Rev Emmanuel Martey and wished him the best in his future endeavours.
