The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel

Ofosu-Ampofo has observed that
the government of the National Democratic Congress(NDC) would do

everything meaningful to partner religious organizations and other stakeholders

to improve upon the standard of living of the citizens in fulfillment of its

mandate to the people.
He said government believed that every Ghanaian needed to enjoy basic

fundamental rights such as education, health, water and other social amenities,

freedom of expression and association and every good thing that would reduce

the hardship on the citizens.
This was contained in a speech read on behalf of the Regional Minister at

the thanksgiving service organized to mark the 50th anniversary celebration of

the Christian Divine Church at Koforidua on Sunday.
The church was established by the late Apostle John Taylor, a Methodist

who broke away from the mother church to establish his own church on May

25, 1959 at Tarkwa where it initially started as a healing camp.
He expressed regret that, while many Christian and church leaders placeed

emphasis on spiritual growth to the detriment of the social and physical welfare,

others also talk only about material prosperity and said if Jesus Christ has set

Christians free, then they need to address both spiritual and physical issues to

eliminate poverty and other social problems confronting the nation.
Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo challenged the church to initiate some income

generating activities to engage their members, especially the youth and urged

them to also take advantage of the celebrations to address issues on domestic

violence by collaborating with other agencies to organize programmes to

educate their members.
He also appealed to the church to take practical strategies to address the

spread of HIV/AIDS which is the leading cause of death in the Eastern Region

despite the fact that the prevalence rate kept declining in the region.
Delivering the sermon earlier to mark the occasion, the Regional head of the

Church, Pastor Henry Joseph Asante observed that the work of the Church is

not the sole responsibility of the priest alone but all need to give a helping hand.
He said those who could not offer their money could offer their time or any

talent that they have to support evangelism and the growth of the church and

advised the members of the church to learn to support each other.