Let your faith inspire you - Minister for Security

Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Minister of National Security, Mr Francis Poku, has called on security personnel to let the virtues of their faith inspire them in the discharge of their duties in view of the daunting challenges characteristic of their work.
Mr Poku made the call at a church service to honour a former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Peter Nanfuri, for his support for the creation and growth of the Catholic faith in the Ghana Police Service.
Mr Nanfuri created the Catholic Chaplaincy nine years ago and the church is christened St George Catholic Police Church and is located at the National Police Training School in Accra.
The former IGP is a mate of Mr Poku at the Police Training School and the two had remained as friends and a brother to each other since then.
A swivel chair donated by Mr Poku was also presented to Mr Nanfuri while the Police Administration presented him with a parcel and donated ¢10 million to support the completion of the church.
The Minister also used the opportunity to raise funds for the completion of the building.
The church service brought together Service Commanders of the various security agencies, a Minister of State at the Ministry of the Interior, Nana Obiri Boahen and Ghana’s Ambassador to Serbia, Mr Nyaho Tamakloe as well as politicians of the political divide.
Mr Poku noted that the creation of the Catholic Chaplaincy in the Police Service had brought together personnel who shared the same faith.
In that way, he said, the personnel would be inspired by the faith and teachings of the church to discharge their duties honourably.
According to Mr Poku, security personnel go through a lot of challenges to ensure that every event goes well and so it was only spiritual strength that often guided them in their work.
He said God had been kind to the securty agencies for helping them to supervise major programmes this year without any problems.
Mr Poku said the National Security Ministry was interested in the spiritual development of security personnel and would, therefore, continue to co-operate with the church to ensure the spiritual development of members of the security agencies.
He expressed the hope that the building would be completed and dedicated before the end of the Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Mr Nanfuri said he was humbled by the honour done him saying that “I am shocked by the kindness showed me by my friend and brother Francis.
He expressed the hope that the core virtues of truth, love, mutual respect, honour and dignity would be inculcated in the people worshipping in the church.
That way, he said, the security personnel would serve the population in Christian principles of humility and integrity.
In a sermon, the Vicar-General of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, Very Rev Fr Francis Adoboli, urged Christians to be united by their baptism in Christ since in Christ, there were no differences in religion, status or ethnicity.
He commended Mr Nanfuri on his enskinment as Jirapa Naa, Naa Ansoleh Ganaa II, and prayed for God’s blessing, direction and inspiration during his reign.
According to him, it was only the enskinment of the Jirapa Naa that Catholic bishops and priests participated in and exhibited the bond of relationship existing between the people of Jirapa and the Catholic Church.
The Parish Priest of the church, Superintendent Rev Fr George Arthur, said generations of the Catholic faithful would forever remember Mr Nanfuri for the seed he sowed for the church in the Ghana Police Service.