Gov’t will find lasting solutions to energy challenges – President Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama on Sunday said government would in the coming months, find lasting solutions to the existing energy, water and labour challenges in the country.
He said although the energy crisis came up as a result of the breakdown of the West African Gas Pipeline in Togo last August, government would pursue all measures to complete the Bui hydro electricity dam and the Thermal Plant in Aboadze in the Western Region for the country to become a net exporter of energy.
He said religions had over the years played complementary roles with government in the socio-economic development of Ghana and promised to continue that partnership to enhance further development of the country.
President Mahama said this when he joined the congregation of the Mount Horeb Victorious Church International during their 20th Anniversary celebration at Mamfe in the Eastern Region
The event was on the theme: “From glory to glory”.
The Church which started 20 years ago now has 23 branches in Ghana, the United Kingdom and Italy.
Apart from preaching the word, the church over the years has been engaged in healing, deliverance and the rehabilitation of people with mental challenges across the country.
The church has also established a psychiatric department that “uses God given gifts to heal and rehabilitate the mentally challenged”.
President Mahama, who described Prophet Okai as a friend, a brother, savior and sign of inspiration to other Ghanaians, called on the church to shun petty quarrels and troubles that could affect their growth and development.
He appealed to all Ghanaians to play their roles responsibly to harness the development agenda of government.
On nutrition, President Mahama said government last week received an award from Food and Agriculture Organization for reducing hunger from 35 percent in 1992 to five percent in 2012.
“We as Ghanaians need to count our blessings one by one, so that God will continue to bless us in the coming years,” he said.
Prophet Paul Kweku Nii Okai, Founder of the church, appealed to government to give a special attention to the faith community in the country especially those engaged in assisting the mentally challenged.
He said for the past 20 years his outfit had healed and rehabilitated 800 mentally challenged people saying though it was a great challenge, support from government would enhance their resolve.
The Prophet said the healing and rehabilitation process takes over six months and therefore places financial and other challenges on the patients and their families and appealed for support to provide adequate accommodation and pay the salaries of the Counselors.
He said stigmatization was also a major setback to most of the rehabilitated patients, as it was difficult for them to integrate into the communities that they come from and this, which sometimes compelled the church to reabsorb them.
Prophet Okai said support from God would not only help the faith community to rehabilitate the patients, but would also help them to be trained in various vocations to live independent lives.
Nana Ansah Sasraku III, Kyidomhene of Akwapim Traditional Area, who also graced the occasion commended the Founder and the entire congregation of the church for transforming the lives of many people and pledged to step up his cooperation with the church and other faiths in coming years.
Source: GNA