Focus On Ethics and Integrity in Ghana
Ghanaian leaders from various sectors, including government and business, are embracing a leadership perspective based on biblical principles. This follows an African Biblical Leadership Initiative (ABLI) conference with the theme, ‘Leadership for National Transformation. The event took place from 19 to 20 May in Accra and was attended by more than 500 leaders. According to a Government of Ghana website, “ABLI is a United Bible Societies-supported project initiated and supported by the British and Foreign Bible Societies (BFBS) and the American Bible Society (ABS), with Lord Boateng of Ghana as one of the chief advocates and official moderator.” Unashamedly Ethical’s Africa Co-ordinator, Patrick Kuwana, was invited to deliver the keynote address at the opening ceremony and submitted this report.
One of the key messages delivered at the conference was that Ghana could achieve her full potential if the Bible was placed at the centre of its development. Ghanaian leaders were urged to study the Bible, as the most relevant economics and business manual and a key to the change that God has entrusted to them. It was presented as the blueprint for successfully managing the country’s economics, family and government. Other countries have been destroyed because of the lack of knowledge and disobedience to the Word of God. The leaders were advised that, “For as long as businesses and the economy are operated by unbiblical principles, we will continue to see churches mushrooming all over Africa and yet see very little positive socio-economic impact as a result.”
The opening ceremony was followed by two days of plenary sessions, workshops and prayer sessions. One of the workshop streams was focused on the issue of corruption. The Ghanaian Director General of Police Public Affairs, David Ampah-Bennin, led an eye-opening discussion on the topic of ‘Corruption and Integrity: The role of the individual’ and it was so encouraging to see how God has placed a man of such high moral standard as a beacon of light within the Ghanaian police force. A critical point made was that institutions can try as much as possible to put anti-corruption mechanisms in place but the real place where ethics is needed is in people’s hearts. He bemoaned the fact that Ghana was a majority Christian nation who should uphold ethics as part of the faith and yet was it was sadly rife with corruption.
The main conference was followed by a Youth Leadership Seminar with the entire seminar focused on the topic of ‘Corruption and Integrity’ and helping the youth understand the devastating impact corruption has in the workplace, government and the church. The seminar focused on helping the youth understand their position and to encourage them to take over the baton of leadership and not repeat the mistakes of the current leadership by allowing corruption to go unchecked.
Strong relationships between Unashamedly Ethical and the Bible Society of Ghana and other ministry organisations in the country have now been established and this should result in the expansion of the campaign in Ghana and the rest of West Africa.
Original Source: unashamedlyethical.com "African Biblical Leadership Initiative Conference in Ghana"
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