Aliu-Mahama Rallies Church Support for His Prsidential Bid.

Vice President Aliu Mahama on Sunday, made his maiden public declaration about his political aspiration to lead the ruling New Patriotic Party NPP) in Election 2008. Vice President Mahama made the affirmation at Gomoa Mozano in the Central Region, where he was the special guest of honour to the Musama Disco Christo Church (MDCC).

"I stand here before you as a Ghanaian of Northern Extraction and Muslim, deeply humbled by the opportunity to offer myself to Ghanaians to serve as leader," he said.This attracted prolonged cheers from the large congregation at the Jubilee Temple of the Church, who are in Mozano to mark the annual Peace Festival of the religious organisation, on the theme: "Ghana @ 50 Be Reconciled to God.""I am proud of Ghana. God willing, together, we can make democracy thrive, united in the purpose of meeting the challenges of affordable and accessible social services and youth unemployment."Vice President Mahama observed that the forefathers of Ghana fought for freedom and protected minority rights, which had resulted in a Constitution, which aims at making Ghanaians a big family.He said as a developing nation, Ghana was challenged by poverty, ignorance and disease hence the need for all hands on deck to confront the development setbacks."Wherever we are, we must see ourselves as one people. Together, we can have one aim and reach a common destiny of prosperity and security for all."National unity is the bedrock of peace and stability. Leadership thrives on stability. With stability, we can groom leaders. Vice President Mahama said Ghana needed leadership to solve the real problems of the contemporary times."We need leadership to improve housing delivery. We need leadership to provide law and order, fight corruption and reduce indiscipline. "We need leadership at all levels, in the Church, in schools, in the markets and in public institutions. Together, we can provide that leadership if we rid ourselves of prejudice and pettiness. Together, we can provide quality leadership based on consensus and team building if we focus on what unites us instead of what could divide us." Touching on the dispute over the leadership of the Church that had bedevilled the peace festival, Vice President Mahama expressed the hope that his visit would mark the end of the period of the seeming instability that nearly destroyed the achievements of the religious organisation."Now the challenge is reconciliation. I urge you to work hard at bringing all sides together. Effective reconciliation will mean peace. With peace, new opportunities will open up."Brothers and sisters in Christ, I stand for unity. I believe in national reconciliation. Above all, I believe in the forgiveness of God," he noted.The MDCC was founded by Prophet Jemisimiham Jehu-Appiah, who started the Pentecostal organisation in 1917 as a prayer group. When he died in 1948, he handed over the mantle of authority to his son, Prophet Dr. Mathapoly Moses Jehu-Appiah who passed away on August 28, 1972.Prophet Miritaiah Jonah Jehu-Appiah became the next spiritual head but was taken to court by some leaders of the Church five years ago, over allegations of misconduct and was subsequently asked by the court to step aside.The Church is currently manned by a five-member Interim Management Committee headed by Rev. Kinakosa Addai. 02 Sept. 05
Source:GNA

Stephen Appiah win SWAG's Top Award

Stephen Tornado Appiah is the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Sports Personality of the Year

...And Peru Went Down 2-0 U:17....KOREA

President Challenges the Youth

President John Agyekum Kufuor, has challenged the country's youth to set their sights on the attainment of excellence to raise the nation to a dignified place in the global village. "The world is acknowledging the great strides that Ghana is making and it is up to you to sustain them," he said at the celebration of the National Day of the Ghanaian Child in Accra, on Friday. President Kufuor, who expressed confidence in the youth, reminded them that as younger members of society, they must prepare themselves well to carry the nation forward in the near future as responsible adults.They have to work diligently at goals they set for themselves, must be disciplined, have fellow feeling and should be God-fearing. The Day, was on the theme: "Ghana @ 50, Children and the Future" and brought together children from all the 10 Regions of Ghana to interact with the President at the National Theatre.President Kufuor spoke of the need for the redoubling of efforts of society to rally to the protection and nurturing of the youth to give them a fair chance for an all round development.This responsibility, he said, must be undertaken as a critical investment in the sustenance and strengthening of the social fabric and generational chain without which, the country's future would be imperilled."This is the challenge to all the responsible adults of our society", he said, and pledged the government's determination to provide the necessary leadership.President Kufuor enumerated policies and measures that were being pursued to facilitate the development of the country's children through adolescence to adulthood, mentioning among these, the implementation of the new Educational Reform, establishment of the Women and Children's Ministry, immunization, de-worming of school children and vitamin A supplementations, distribution of treated bed nets and support for orphaned and the destitute.He said the government was giving due attention to the proper upbringing of the child and that this was evidenced from the vigorous building and rehabilitation of primary and junior secondary schools, including Kindergartens.More than 5,000 schools had been put up throughout the country within the past six years.President Kufuor observed that the child was being assailed by many different cultures through television, radio and the internet and called on society to continually devise social education mechanisms for the child's protection.Hajia Alima Mahama, Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, said Ghana had met the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on gender parity with regard to schools enrolment.Professor Jophus Anamua Mensah, Vice Chancellor, University of Education, Winneba, who chaired the function, said the Education Reform offered an opportunity for the youth to develop the right skills and attitudes to become productive.Master Emmanuel Donkor from the Central Region in a statement read on behalf of the country's children conveyed their appreciation to the government for the capitation grant and the school-feeding programme, which he said, had put more children in schools and pleaded that these should continue.The children also called for the establishment of Child Panels in all the districts as provided for by Act 650 of the Constitution to handle offences involving children in a friendly manner.
Source:GNA