Kumasi: Mr. Frank Cudjoe Damali, Chief Executive Officer of Kings Tower Hotel, Ahinsan Estates, emphasized the need for Christians to actively engage in environmental stewardship to fulfill God’s mandate of caring for creation. In his keynote address at the 36th Annual Conference of the National Catechists and Evangelists Union of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana (EPCG) in Anlo-Afiadenyigba, Mr. Damali urged Christians to align their actions with strategies that protect the environment.
According to Ghana News Agency, the three-day conference, themed ‘Care for Creation, the Task and Mission of the Catechist,’ gathered Catechists and Evangelists from all sixteen Presbyteries of the Church. Mr. Damali highlighted the biblical command for humans to work and care for the land, stressing the Christian duty to both utilize and safeguard natural resources. He criticized the tendency to treat environmental care as a peripheral issue, which became more pronounced during industrialization when spiritual and ecological concerns were often separated.
Mr. Damali pointed out the visible consequences of environmental neglect, such as polluted rivers, deforestation, climate change, and biodiversity loss. He noted that such environmental degradation adversely affects the poor and marginalized, complicating the Church’s mission of spreading salvation. He encouraged the Church to adopt measures for environmental stewardship at the community level and called on Catechists and Evangelists to incorporate environmental care into their teachings.
He also suggested forming Ecological Disciple Clubs within congregations to educate members about their environmental responsibilities. Mr. Damali urged collaboration with stakeholders like Parks and Gardens, the Forestry Commission, and NGOs for professional support and direction in environmental conservation efforts.
Catechist Sylvanus M. Y. Anku, the outgoing President of the Union, spoke on the interconnectedness of humanity and nature, emphasizing that human redemption is linked to ecological restoration. He praised the executive team’s support during his tenure and announced plans for an endowment fund to address members’ health and educational needs.
The conference’s major highlight was the election of a new Union President. The event was attended by Reverend Dr. Lawson Kwaku Dzanku, Clerk of the General Assembly of the Church, along with clergy and traditional authorities.