The Church of Pentecost is collaborating with other Christian organisations to tackle Ghana’s environmental crisis at the maiden National Creation Care Conference currently ongoing at the Crystal Palm Hotel in Accra.
The three-day conference, which officially commenced today, Monday, May 22, aims to develop a national Christian framework, policy, and plan to safeguard the environment and address climate change-related issues.
The destruction of Ghana’s natural resources, including illegal mining, deforestation, and pollution, has reached an alarming level. Consequently, the conference seeks to mobilise the Christian community, representing a significant portion of the country’s population, to take action and become a positive force in addressing environmental challenges.
During his speech at the event, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi-Larbi, the General Secretary of The Church of Pentecost, emphasised the need for collaborative efforts to combat the nation’s environmental challenges.
He expressed excitement about the potential impact of the forum, stating, “As a denomination, we eagerly look forward to joining forces with all denominations to pursue an Environmental Care Campaign that will transform our nation, Ghana.”
He called on Christians to recognise their responsibility as stewards of God’s creation and highlighted the importance of caring for the environment and the consequences of neglecting this divine duty.
Apostle Kumi-Larbi noted that The Church of Pentecost, under the leadership of Apostle Eric Nyamekye, instituted the Environmental Care Campaign as part of the Church’s five-year strategic vision (Vision 2023) four years ago to address Ghana’s environmental challenges. Through clean-up drives, tree-planting initiatives, and recycling plastic waste, the Church has made significant progress in raising awareness and taking practical steps towards preserving Ghana’s environment. He, therefore, called for unity among denominations and institutions to maximise the impact of these efforts.
The General Secretary further noted that religious leaders have a vital role in this endeavour because they have a unique opportunity to regularly engage with their congregations and equip them as agents of transformation in all aspects of life.
Concluding his speech, Apostle Kumi-Larbi reiterated The Church of Pentecost’s commitment to environmental care. He further expressed hope that the conference would provide the impetus for the wider Christian community to implement sustainable practices to ensure a cleaner and greener Ghana.
The National Coordinator of the Environmental Care Campaign and Agormanya Area Head of the Church, Apostle Samuel Gakpetor, also gave a presentation on the prevailing environmental challenges and their impact on lifeforms in Ghana at the conference.
His presentation shed light on critical issues affecting the country’s ecosystems and called for urgent action to address them. He also identified unsustainable agriculture practices, poor land use planning, water, land, and air pollution, inadequate waste management, and urban sprawl as critical environmental challenges facing the country with far-reaching consequences if left unaddressed.
The National Creation Care Conference, a first of its kind, provides a platform for sharing knowledge, experiences, and expertise to develop a comprehensive Christian response to environmental challenges.
Participants from various organisations, including The Church of Pentecost, A Rocha Ghana, Akrofi Christaller Institute, Challenge Enterprises of Ghana, and World Vision Ghana, have gathered to come up with practical ways to mitigate Ghana’s ecological crises and promote sustainable practices.
Outcomes from the discussions and workshops at the conference would be used to develop a national Christian framework for environmental care to shape future initiatives and inspire collective action to protect Ghana’s environment for future generations.
PENTECOST NEWS.
