The Right Reverend Dennis Dabukari Tong, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Tamale, has blamed the citizenry for contributing to the “deeply rooted corruption” in the country.
“The clergy, politicians, public and civil servants are to be blamed for contributing to corruption and corruptible acts which has led to poorly and unequal distribution of resources,” he decried.
Bishop Tong indicated that if the resources were harnessed effectively, efficiently, properly and distributed equally without the level of corruption being witnessed may be no Ghanaian would complain of poverty and corruption.
He apportioned the blame when he delivered the sermon to confirm candidates prepared for communion at the Saint Cyprian’s Anglican Church in Bolgatanga which was on the theme: ‘Your duty towards your neighbour’.
Bishop Tong took a swipe at most Christians for not living according to the tenets and teachings of Christ and charged them to ensure their lives as Christians reflected the life of God because they were stewards and whatever God had blessed them with was to share with their neighbours.
“We are stewards and whatever God has blessed us with is to share with our neighbours, in the same way, let our light shine for people to see our good works since greed, selfishness, cheating and mistrust were rife in the country as people used their positions to enrich themselves at the expense of the vulnerable.
“If you want admission into security services you have to pay money, admission into training colleges you have to pay money and if you want jobs you have to pay money then you come to church singing praises to God.
“If we insist on making a living from corruption and corruptible acts, then, we are confirming we do not love our neighbours because every productive human relationship is love and without it, there is no life,” Bishop Tong bemoaned.
He stated that love brings God closer to Christians so they must not push Him away through corruption and corruptible acts which resulted in more people getting impoverished and challenged citizens to reassess the love they expressed to their neighbours and followed what God instructed, which would progress, grow and develop the nation to achieve the desired results.
Bishop Tong challenged Christians to take a cue from the story of the rich man and Lazarus in the Bible seriously and be each other’s keeper to reflect the will of God in all spheres of endeavour.
