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* Bishop Mante |
The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has expressed grave concern about the incidence of drug-related issues in Ghana in recent times and called for concerted efforts to fight it.
Speaking with a “presumed permission” from the Bishops’ Conference in an interview with the Press in Cape Coast, Most Rev. Gabriel A.A. Mante, Episcopal Chairman for Communications of the National Catholic Secretariat, lamented that the use of drugs has become widespread in the country.
“We condemn absolutely the drug trade in Ghana and call on government to take an uncompromising stance on the issue,” he said.
Bishop Mante, who is also the Bishop of Jasikan, called for what he termed as, draconian measures to deal with the drug business once and for all.
He wondered if there was any future for Ghana if its sons and daughters were increasingly becoming either drug-pushers or users.
He referred to the arrest of a Ghanaian MP in the US on a drug-related issue and regretted that several months after his arrest, no definitive statement has been issued by the State on the matter.
“If a Law Maker is caught on a drug-related issue and up till now Ghanaians do not know what the nation has said and done about the issue, then it leaves much to be desired,” he added.
Bishop Mante refuted an allegation that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference was weak and failing to play the prophetic role as the voice of the voiceless as pertained in the past.
He said the Bishops’ Conference through its communiqués over the years, has always pointed out the ills of society and suggested remedies.
He emphasised that the Catholic Church does not go about making sensational statements for cheap popularity and undue attention but threads cautiously.
“All the issues (in Ghana) today have been captured by our communiqués. Take for instance, in 1998, the Conference issued a strong communiqué on corruption to the extent of even formulating a national prayer on corruption,” he recalled.
Bishop Mante made it clear that the Bishops were not unaware of the difficult situations in which Ghanaians found themselves, but emphasised that the Church does not hold the nations’ purse, it can only advise and appeal to the conscience of policy makers.
On the Georgina Wood Committee investigating the missing cocaine saga, the Bishop advised that the Committee be allowed to work without undue interference from any quarters.
At the end of the Committee’s sitting, the law should be applied to the full irrespective of who is involved, he said.
On corruption, the Prelate noted that from his interactions with people from across the country, corruption seemed to have deepened and become widespread since 1998.
He said as a nation, “We must revisit the issue of corruption and seek practical steps to curb it.”
He asked for empowerment of all agencies like the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and the enforcement of the Whistleblowers’ Law, to expose and fight corruption.
Touching on the US Millennium Challenge Fund of $547 million, the Bishop cautioned government to jealously protect its credibility by applying the funds in a transparent manner to allay the fears of sections of society.
On youth, Bishop Mante asked government and all stakeholders to equip them [youth] with modern scientific techniques in agriculture to make them self-employed.
He said the youth must be educated to appreciate the fact that the wealth of every nation is agriculturally based, advising that they should go into farming, and disengage themselves from criminal activities.
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