DON'T REGARD POLITICAL OPPONENTS AS ENEMIES ...Rev Oppong tells politicians (PAGE 16)

THE Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Reverend Herbert Anim Oppong, has urged political leaders not to see those who oppose them as enemies.
He stated that since independence, Ghana had always seen the ruling class portraying its opposers as enemies who must either be wiped out or silenced.
“Let our opposers strengthen you. Do not hold bitterness against them; turn a deaf ear to the negative things that people say in order to keep your spirit from being contaminated,” he advised.
Rev. Oppong made the call at the 71st annual delegates’ conference of the Young People’s Guild (YPG) of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana in Wa, in the Upper West Region.
The conference, which was on the theme: “Let us arise and build”, was attended by delegates from all over the country.
Rev. Oppong advised people holding political power to let the opposition push them to strive for a higher level of excellence as it was an opportunity to let them be more intimate with God.
He implored young people to use their God-given talents, skills and gift to serve their community and the church in a positive manner.
“As you show respect to those in authority and always excel in your jobs, no matter how minor you feel your role may be, your effort will paid off in the future,” he added.
Rev. Oppong regretted that a lot of the young people arrested for armed robbery and cyber fraud bore names such as John, Michael, Samuel, among others.
He condemned some communities which deliberately turned a blind eye to the ill-gotten wealth by the young people regardless of the negative precedence it was setting.
He, however, encouraged the delegates to continue to preach the gospel in order to win more souls for the church.
In a keynote address, the Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Caesar Kale, said it was incumbent on the youth to safeguard the gains made so far by the nation by cultivating reading habits to help them ascertain where Ghana was coming from in its developmental efforts.
He also advised young people to channel their energies into such productive ventures as volunteerism and hold institutions of government accountable for the mandate entrusted to them.
The National President of the YPG, Mr Samuel Opare, thanked the leadership of the church for its continuos support for the guild.