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Abide by the principles of marriage – couples advised
The Ministerial Secretary of the Southern Ghana Union Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) Pastor Dr Nii Lamptey Thompson, has urged married couples to commit themselves to meeting each other’s needs.
He again couple must support one another because marriage “does not rest on the lust of the flesh but the principles of love, loyalty, trust, and support upheld by both partners in obedience to God.”
According to him, “when these principles are violated, the marriage is endangered because the Almighty God who instituted such principles acknowledges that tragic circumstances could destroy marriage.”
Pastor Nii Lamptey said these when he took the SDA Pastors’ Wives Association (Shepherdess) in the Southern Sector through the increasing divorce rate in ministerial homes and church at the 2022 Shepherdess Biennial Retreat at Koforidua last Saturday.
He defined marriage as “a life-long commitment between man and woman which requires knowledge to embrace it, and needs one to be careful with the repercussion and be adequately matured to withstand the effect because marriage is not a child’s play.”
He said that a wife or husband was not supposed to leave the partner but if this happened then she or he should remain unmarried or be prepared to accept the partner back.
He noted that hardly did one hear of a divorce in the olden days but presently, everybody including Christians, men of God, and religious leaders were divorcing everywhere without recourse to the teaching of the Bible.
Pastor Dr Lamptey said God intended the marriage of Adam and Eve to be the pattern for all future marriages, and Christ also endorsed this original concept but because of fashion and especially facial beauty, “a man sees a lady today and tomorrow they are wedding.”
Quoting from the of book of Mark 10:2-9, he said divorce was contrary to God’s original purpose in creating marriage so the Bible was not silent about it, therefore, the Christian concept of marriage should include divine ideal, oneness and equality.
Talking about the role of the Church, he said the model for the husband’s leadership was the self-sacrificial love and service that Christ gave to the Church so the Church should emphasise the love and submission of husband and wife to one another.
Pastor Lamptey advised married couples to always consider the repercussions of divorce and renew their marriage by mutually agreeing to a renewed marriage contract.
From Samuel Opare Lartey, Koforidua.
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Speaker of Parliament inaugurates open Parliament Steering Committee, launches action plan
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has launched the Open Parliament Steering Committee and the Open Parliament Action Plan.
The ceremony was under the theme “Achieving Gender Equality: Action by Action.”
The Speaker highlighted the critical role Parliament plays in translating the will of the people into inclusive legislation, responsive policies, and accountable governance.
“The International Day of Parliamentarianism is worth celebrating, as it offers an opportunity not only to recognise and promote achievements in strengthening democratic governance, but also to pause and reflect on the remaining gaps in institutionalising parliamentary democracy,” he said.
He noted that the event was scheduled to coincide with the International Day of Parliamentarianism to reinforce the importance of open and inclusive governance.
The Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, stated that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is intended to recognise the vital role Parliaments play globally as pillars of democratic governance.
He noted that this marks the first time Ghana is formally observing the day.
“The gravity of our observance is further accentuated as we convene to witness the launch of the Open Parliament Action Plan by the Open Government Partnership Caucus,” he said.
Delivering a statement on behalf of the Minority Leader, Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin, the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, described the Open Parliament Action Plan as a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening the relationship between Parliament and the public.
She said the plan represents a bold commitment to making Parliament more transparent, accessible, and responsive to the needs of Ghanaians.
The Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, described the launch as a key milestone in the effort to build a citizen-focused and accountable Parliament.
He added that the International Day of Parliamentarianism is a call to action to recommit to the highest standards of public service and democratic accountability.
The inauguration was attended by a wide range of stakeholders, including the Majority and Minority Members of Parliament, members of the Open Parliament Steering Committee, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Caucus, Parliamentary Network Africa, representatives from civil society organisations, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional and religious leaders, student bodies, the Parliamentary Press Corps, and other media partners.
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NACOC declares drug menace a national emergency
The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Interior has paid a working visit to the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) to engage with its leadership and assess operational challenges hampering the fight against illicit drugs.
In a detailed presentation, Dr. Basha Ligbi, Head of the Commission’s Research Bureau, highlighted critical setbacks including broken body scanners at airport terminals, inadequate office infrastructure, overcrowded detention facilities, and deteriorating vehicles.
He also called for the Commission’s headquarters to be reclassified as a security zone, citing growing security risks due to private encroachment and nearby high-rise developments.
Director General of NACOC, Brigadier General Maxwell Obiba Mantey, described the escalating drug trade as a national emergency, warning that drug barons now rival armed robbers in threat level and are gaining influence at the highest levels.
He appealed for stronger institutional support and morale-boosting interventions to preserve the integrity of NACOC officers.
Chairman of the Committee and MP for Builsa North, James Agalga, assured the Commission of the Committee’s commitment to escalate the concerns to Parliament and engage key justice sector stakeholders to fast-track reforms in support of NACOC’s mandate.
