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The Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference (GCBC) has called on Ghanaians to rise above all negative or harmful tendencies and see themselves as members of one nation.

That, it said, required that Ghanaians avoided all ethnocentric tendencies, actions and statements that would not bring peace to the country.

“In the same vein, we should avoid saying and doing things that will bring about religious intolerance, bigotry and conflict in our country. We urge people of different religious persuasions to continue to live together in peace and to use peaceful and legitimate means to resolve all differences and challenges that may arise,” the bishops said in an Easter message to Ghanaians signed by its President, the Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu, who is also the Bishop of Konongo-Mampong.

“As Ghanaians, let us realise that there is the need for us to live in unity and peace. As Christians and as children of God, we should realise, as St. Paul says, that “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28),” it said.

The statement said Easter had moral implications on the lives of Christians.

That, it explained, meant that if Ghanaian Christians have died and risen with Christ, then they should endeavour to put an end to all immoral acts.

“The feast of Easter should challenge us to avoid a whole lot of immoral acts including stealing, armed robbery, the taking of illicit drugs such as cocaine and Indian hemp, drunkenness, reckless driving, Internet fraud and other forms of fraud that are destroying the nation.

We must also avoid permissiveness and casual sex which can lead to sexually transmitted diseases, including the incurable HIV-AIDS,” it noted.

The bishops appealed to all Ghanaians to avoid bribery and corruption which was so pervasive in the country.

It said bribery and corruption could be found among politicians, the judiciary, the security agencies, the Customs Divisions of the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, in educational institutions, at workplaces, in the marketplace, in the media, in sports, in some traditional rulers, in priests, ministers, pastors and traditional priests.

“Corruption militates against national development. If there is bribery and corruption, it is largely because people are not acting with integrity wherever they are. If they were guided in their consciences by integrity and honesty, there would be no corruption or, at least, it would be reduced, and Ghana would be a better place than it is today,” it said.

The statement prayed that as Ghanaians celebrated Easter, they would endeavour to fight against evil in their lives and try to become better Christians and citizens who would ensure that the peace of the risen Christ would be in the hearts of all Ghanaians and other people of good will.