See corruption as a malady, public urged
Reverend Dr Daniel Saaka, a Lecturer at the St. Victor’s Catholic Seminary in Tamale, has called on the public to see corruption as a sickness they are ready to risk their lives to cure.
He said all the beautiful policies and programmes, seminars and fora they organised for the poor, would work only when corruption was dealt with, adding that “we must all have the positive spirit that corruption can be eliminated”.
Rev. Dr. Saaka, who was speaking during the National Seminar on “Ensure no One is Left Behind”, held in Wa, said the Church must not only be seen to be fighting corruption, but should be relentless in the effort.
He urged all to see the seminar as one which would allow them to grow in the conviction that sharing with the poor enabled them to understand the deepest truth of the Gospel.
Rev. Dr. Saaka said there is the need for “The World Day of the Poor” to be given prominence in the annual programme of the Church’s charities as proposed by Pope Francis for celebration on November 19 every year.
“As Ghana continues the implementation of the SDGs and Ghana’s Social Protection Policy, the call for solidarity with the poor, is very significant”, he said.
“Farming should be presented to our young people as the ‘New Gold Mine’ of our country”, he said adding that this would ensure food security.
Madam Grace Antwi-Atsu, Sightsavers Global Advocacy Advisor, said in many countries Persons With Disabilities remained the most excluded and hardest to reach of all groups in their community.
She expressed concern that the commitment to the SDGs which held such potential and hope for the world’s billion people with disabilities, remains just a piece of paper without its implementation.
She said it was for this reason that advocacy and partnerships were vital if they were to see real impact by 2030, and stressed on the need for funders, non-profits, and other groups to maintain pressure on governments to include people with disabilities and the marginalized groups in their development plans.
Mr Samual Zan Akologo, Executive Secretary of Caritas Ghana, said the seminar provided good space to learn from the experiences of the Church and civil society in the specific targeting of social services to the poor and vulnerable.
Source: GNA