By Damian Avevor
The Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev. Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, has advised Ghanaians especially the Youth to control the use of mobile phones since it has become a distraction to their development.
The Archbishop asked parents to monitor and control the use of those gadgets by their children which according to him was hindering their academic work.
He said this in a homily at the St. James Catholic Church at Osu recently to climax his three-day Pastoral visit to the Church.
The Mass was concelebrated by Rev. Fr. Daniel Tettedji, Parish Priest and Rev. Fr. Prince Adelaayitar, Assistant Priest.
During the Mass, the Archbishop also administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 36 Catholics.
Archbishop Palmer-Buckle lamented that Ghanaians had allowed themselves to be imprisoned by their mobile phones, adding that “many of you who are not aware how much you have become prisoners of this gadget, some of you do not sleep in the night, it is always on and you do not have a good rest.”
He stated that it was sad that are Ghanaian workers are also guilty in the usage of mobile phones at your work places, thus preventing you from working effectively and efficiently.”
He bemoaned that “we go to work and we do not work well and we are fired. Then we say why is the man firing me? And we incite the TUC and the Unions to go on strike when we know we have not been sleeping adequately to enable us to perform better.”
He noted that though the cell phones could be used for gathering useful information to enhance academic, spiritual and professional development, Ghanaians must be self-disciplined when using them.
On wages and salaries, the Archbishop was emphatic that it was time the Labour System was redesigned to ensure that decent wages and salaries were paid to Ghanaian workers, admonishing employers that “if you hire workers, think of what they would need to survive and comfortably take care of their families but not what you think they deserve.”
He said the golden rule for Christians was to love their neighbours as themselves but wondered what would prompt an employer to underpay or cheat a worker who has a right to decent living.
To the Confirmandi, he urged them to be true Catholics by professing their faith wherever they found themselves.
He advised them to make prayer and fasting part of their daily lives and be disciplined in all their endeavours.
He further entreated them to always avail themselves for services to the Church and frequently participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession).
Archbishop Palmer-Buckle urged them to live a Christ-like life powered by the Holy Spirit.
