Catholic Bishops urge govt to address challenges posed by COVID-19

A five-day Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference opened in Wa, capital of the Upper West Region on Monday, with a call on government to embark on an open dialogue with stakeholders on how to address challenges posed by the Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.

The annual plenary assembly brought together bishops from all the catholic dioceses across the country as well as other reverend ministers who are in the country for missionary work.

It has the theme; “Fratelli Tutti (Fraternity of all humanity) and COVID-19: Pastoral opportunities and challenges in Ghana”.

Addressing a congregation of catholic faithful and government functionaries at the opening on Monday, the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, Most Reverend Philip Naameh, stated that the devastating effect the novel COVID-19 pandemic has had on the economy as well as state of affairs of the country was evident to every discerning citizen.

He noted that it was necessary for government to engage development-oriented stakeholders to an honest dialogue to unearth the challenges the nation was faced with, as a result of the pandemic in order to allow for appropriate suggestions that would help to rebuild the nation.

“COVID-19 pandemic has had a global impact on human lives and Ghana has not been spared. Prices on major foreign exchange commodities continue to tumble due to a fall in global productivity and this has led to pressure on the local currency, while inflation continues to soar in the face of job losses and increased unemployment rates”, he stated.

Most Rev Naameh, who doubles as the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tamale, therefore suggested to government to identify practical steps to help mitigate the impact of the pandemic by initiating policies that would lead to the creation of sustainable jobs for the teeming youth of the country.

He mentioned that although COVID-19 was a disincentive to development, it had also challenged the creative and innovative capacities of the world such that people were forced to devise alternative ways of coping with the social system in the midst of restrictions on movement.

Most Rev Naamah used the opportunity to call on Ghanaians to support the passing of the bill on the promotion of proper human sexual rights by parliament and said those tenets were enshrined in the traditional values and belief systems of the nation.

For his part, the Bishop of Wa Diocese, Most Reverend Richard Kuuia Baawobr reported that the church in the region was focused on supporting social and national development.

He stated that the church had contributed to the provision of social services through the construction of schools to support education and also reduce vulnerability of socially excluded persons through the provision of special education to lessen their dependency on others.

The Upper West Regional Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih for his part, encouraged the Bishops to include issues of national development in their respective deliberations at the conference.

FROM LYDIA DARLINGTON FORDJOUR, WA