NO NEGATIVE CAMPAIGNS

THE Immediate Past Chairman of the Church of Pentecost (COP), Apostle Dr Michael K. Ntumy, has asked the leadership of political parties and their supporters to emphasise their own strengths if elected to govern, instead of the shortcomings of their political opponents.
“Political parties must deal truthfully with the electorate in the country and tell us frankly what they hope to do for the people when elected,” he told the Daily Graphic after his graduation from the Northwestern Christian University (NCU), Florida, USA, from where he has earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Applied Theology and Organisational Governance.
He said the politics of the pre-independence and independence era that was characterised by rancour and divisiveness had no place in the country now, saying decency and circumspection in political campaigning and activities would end in a peaceful country for all.
Apostle Dr Ntumy reminded all that at the end of the day, Ghana was the country and home to all, while constituencies were the villages and home towns to all.
“If we destroy that, where can we call home?” he queried.
Apostle Dr Ntumy, whose dissertation for the programme was titled, “An examination of Apostolic Governance in the Church of Pentecost and its Contribution to the Church’s Phenomenal Growth”, analysed the church governance of the COP and concluded that it was an Apostolic governance that was similar to Biblical examples of the early church in the New Testament.
The other graduates were Apostle M. M. Kopah, Rev Samuel Amponsah-Frimpong, Rev Mrs Theresa Nana Sesuwa Addai and Dr Seth Nii Addy.
All the graduates received PhDs in Applied Theology and Organisational Governance.
In keeping with the goals of helping in the constant self development of individuals, the NCU had instituted the mobile executive programme and a mobile campus where anyone at all could participate in the programmes offered, at his or her convenience, without necessarily making a physical appearance.
Since it started running programmes in the country in 2001, the NCU has trained over 3,000 people from different backgrounds.
The Rector of the NCU, Dr Edward Ade, said at the graduation ceremony that there were no limiting factors when it came to educating and developing oneself.
He said the complacent attitude among most people in Africa in not allowing further development of their mental capacities after acquiring a profession or basic academic programme was alarming.
“Anyone at all can still study and change titles and academic positions, irrespective of his or her busy schedules, which are not a barrier to self development,” he intimated.
“Everyone can study, everyone should study and every one must study,” he proposed as the way forward from a complacent life with no self development.
Dr Ade said while time was the same for all, anyone could “play time, spend time, waste time or use time wisely”.
He said with time, anyone could be wise, skilful or foolish in his or her choice of the use of time.
He said the NCU had decided to offer the opportunity to all to acquire the requisite knowledge, not only on the Bible but also contemporary issues and science.
In a graduation sermon, Rev Mrs Queronica Q said the family was the first social unit established by God, while the second was the church.
She said the issue of balancing the demands of the family and work was an important area in which the church needed to take leadership and show the way.
She said while the family was the centre of development, work also kept the economy going and that was the reason the church needed to show how people could keep the balance in their family life and their work.
Rev Mrs Q was of the view that the programmes undertaken by the graduates would enable them to lead the way in that endeavour.
SUBMITTED THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2008
PUBLISHED DAILY GRAPHIC, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2008, PG 1