Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Ghana changing with character

In this interview Dr Mario Denton talked to Rev Sam Oppong regarding character-based
leadership challenges and sustainable implementation of character-based training in
Ghana, as well as about his recent experience in taking character-based training to the
next level in Ghana.

Denton: According to our records, Rev Sam, you have done Character First training in
Ghana for the third time. I am very keen to hear why you think the Character First
programme is needed in Ghana. Is this training really necessary and relevant and can it
be the solution to the problems of the times in which
we are living?

Oppong: Ghana is a very blessed country as we do have almost everything; for example, we
do have lots of natural resources, we have gold, the country is rich in cacao and has started producing oil, and it has lots of human resources. We have well-educated leadership and Ghana is made up of 68% Christians, but the problem is that we are seriously lacking in character. We are living in a society in which people love themselves, are lovers of money, boasters,proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers,
without self-control, despisers of good (2 Timothy 3:2). We see the signals of a society that is barren of virtue. I believe character-based training programmes can make a difference, because character is what makes a person want to be better and do better. When people are trained to value honour and integrity, they find the motivation to live that way for the rest of their
lives, wherever they are.