The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) has called on Ghanaians to soberly reflect on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and avoid acts of bribery and corruption which are pervasive in the country.
“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,” the bishops added.
The GCBC call was contained in an Easter message to Ghanaians.
The statement was issued and signed by Most Reverend Joseph Osei-Bonsu, President of the GCBC and delivered to the Adenta Holy Rosary Catholic Church congregation by Reverend Father Walter Woamede, to mark Easter Sunday.
The statement is expected to be read in all Catholic Churches, throughout the country.
According to the GCBC, bribery and corruption is found in some people and institutions such as politicians, the judiciary, the security agencies, the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA), educational institutions, the workplace, the marketplace, the media, in sports, in some traditional rulers, in some priests, ministers, pastors and traditional priests.
It said the peace that Christ gave at Easter should make Ghanaians rise above all negative and harmful tendencies, and unite as one people, one nation with a common destiny.
The statement urged Ghanaians to eschew all ethnocentric tendencies, and actions and statements that will not bring peace to the country.
“We should avoid saying and doing things that will bring about religious intolerance, bigotry and conflict in our country,” the statement added.
The GCBC urged 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.
According to the GCBC, Ghanaians should put an end to all immoral acts, adding that “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, reckless driving, internet fraud and other forms of fraud that are destroying the nation.”
The statement urged the youth to avoid permissiveness and casual sex which could lead to sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS.
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