Speech delivered by Most Rev. Peter Kwaku Atuahene, Bishop of Goaso at the inauguration of GODIDO

SPEECH DELIVERED BY MOST REV. PETER KWAKU ATUAHENE, CATHOLIC BISHOP OF GOASO AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE GOASO DIOCESAN DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (GODIDO) AND THE LAUNCHING OF ITS FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN ON 4TH OCTOBER, 2024 AT THE DIOCESAN PASTORAL AND SOCIAL CENTRE AT GOASO

INTRODUCTION
Today the Catholic Diocese of Goaso, which covers the Ahafo region and the Ahafo part of the Ashanti Region, celebrates another milestone since the creation of the Diocese in 1998. We gather to inaugurate the long awaited Goaso Diocesan Development Organization (GODIDO LBG) and also to launch the organization’s five-year strategic plan. I stand before you with heart full of gratitude to God for assisting us with the vision to establish this organization which in one way or the other would help us improve upon our lives in the area. I extend my gratitude to all those who have contributed to the establishment of the organization.  

MISSION OF THE ORGANIZATION
The mission of this organization is “Holistic Development through Socio-economic Empowerment". This mission of Holistic Development has to do with the readiness to leave no one behind as far as development in the catchment area of the Diocese is concern. This means that it is the mission of the organization to address the physical, social, economic, and emotional needs of people.

VISION OF THE ORGANIZATION
The organization aims at helping the poor and vulnerable to live in freedom, peace, and dignity. Pope Francis in his encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ stressed on the need to respect and prioritize the dignity and the well-being of the human person especially the poor and the vulnerable in society (LS. 124). This means that the fact that they are poor does not mean they should be denied access to basic services and needs such as access to quality education, quality healthcare, portable drinking water, electricity etc. This organization has been established to be the voice of the voiceless in the area in particular, and Ghana as a whole. The organization seeks to leave no one behind in the arena of development.
One of the critical topics in ‘Laudato Si’ is the care for the environment. In this encyclical the Holy Father stressed on the need to care for the environment because it is our common Home. But this common home of ours is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth, and so he calls on us to rethink development and prioritize the well-being of people and the planet. The human person is inextricably linked with the natural world which means that by destroying nature we are indirectly destroying ourselves (LS 21).  It is therefore the vision of the organization to educate people on the need to protect our common home by ensuring efficient waste management for all of us to enjoy or live in a clean and conducive environment.

One of the key areas that the organization seeks to develop is Agriculture. We live in an area where farming is the major source of income of the people, therefore improving agriculture will boost the economic growth of the area. It will ensure food security and financial sustainability. It will also better the livelihood of the poor thereby reducing poverty. The organization seeks to empower the people especially the youth in the region with the needed skills and resources to engage in farming activities that would in the long run better their lives in the future.  

THE FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN 
As I stated in the beginning of my speech, we are not here today just to inaugurate GODIDO but we are also here to launch its five-year strategic plan. This five-year strategic plan begins this year and ends in 2029. This plan is a road map for sustainable progress that will lead us to greater financial sustainability, stronger institutions, and improved outcomes in key sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, portable drinking water, care for the environment, justice and peace etc. I must confess that this plan covers the real needs and wants of the people within the catchment area.

CALL TO ACTION
We can only achieve our vision through strategic partnership with all stakeholders, capacity building and community engagement. That is the more reason why all stakeholders within the catchment area have been invited here for the inauguration of GODIDO and launch its five-year strategic plan. We shall be knocking at your doors when the need arises.   

We assure all stakeholders that GODIDO will be transparent, accountable, foster a culture of inclusivity and diversity, and finally stay adaptable and responsive to the emerging needs of the people. We promise quality services, effective communication and continuous improvement because without these the organization will not succeed in achieving its mission and vision.

As we embark on this journey let us unite with one purpose, innovate and take calculated risks and finally measure our success by the impact we make in the lives of the people in the Ahafo areas.

CONCLUSION 
Let us join hands in shaping a brighter future for the people in the operational areas of GODIDO. We have a common duty to ensure that the needs of the vulnerable are met. Together let us build a better home, a better Ahafo. May God bless us all. 
THANK YOU