The President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of Asogli traditional area, Togbe Afede XIV has stressed the need for the church to educate its members on the need to work hard and blend their Christian and spiritual growth with work, and avoid spending productive hours on church activities.

He observed that some Christians were spending more of their productive hours at prayer camps and on church activities, than getting involved in socio economic activities, thereby worsening the existing poverty situation in the country.

Togbe Afede, who was addressing the 150th anniversary celebration of the Ho-Kpodzi Evangelical Presbyterian (EP) Church, said "it seems Africans are now worshiping God more than those who introduced the Christian religion to us", saying even though that was the current picture, most Christians in Ghana and Africa were suffering from high level of poverty.

He continued that it was unfortunate that African countries like Ghana, which is committed to the worship of God, still have majority of the people deeply rooted in poverty, saying "why is it so because God does not like people to live in poverty".

Togbe Afede mentioned education, health, agriculture among others as some of the most important contributions of the church, which had positive effects on the lives of the people and urged the church to help build both the spiritual and physical lives of its members to accelerate development.

He stressed that the leadership problems that led to corruption because of the selfish interest of the leaders should be avoided in the church and that the church should be seen shaping society.

Togbe Afede also called for effective collaboration between the church and traditional authorities to coordinate development activities in the common interest of the church and society adding that was the only way to accelerate development in the country.

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the EP Church, the Rt. Rev. Francis Amenu asked Ghanaians to emulate the missionaries who sacrificed their lives to spread the gospel by showing more commitment to the development efforts of the country and refrain from negative practices that retard development.

He noted that issues such as child trafficking, child labour, chieftaincy disputes and other negative practices should be avoided because those were inimical to the development activities of the nation adding that love and unity were crucial in effecting positive changes in the society.

Rt. Rev. Amenu said it was important for traditional authorities to identify traditional practices that inhibit development of the people and do away with them, noting that it was also vital for government to deal with issues that retard development like corruption, and promote economic activities in the country.

The Volta Regional Minister, Mr. Joseph Amenowode said the desire of the youth to get rich quick and the wish to have unbridled freedom to enjoy life had negatively affected the moral and spiritual standing of most of the people in the society, which had resulted in the cases of prostitution, rape and armed robbery among others.

Mr. Amenowode stressed the need for the leadership of the church to create the necessary opportunities and avenues for more interaction with the members, so as to help address their concerns, which would possibly lead to deviants.

The Regional Minister said the church and the government had a common responsibility of protecting its members from becoming victims of vices, noting that the church owed it a duty to ensure that its members abide by rules of morality and righteous living.