Members of the plan­ning committee of the annual National Prayer and Thanksgiving Day have been urged to view their role in the entire planning of the event as a sacred duty.To this end they have been charged to discharge their duties effectively to make the day more embracing and unifying.The Minister of Local Govern­ment, Chieftaincy, and Religious Af­fairs, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, said this would enable the planning commit­tee to discharge its duty effectively and ensure a successful organisation of the event.Mr Ibrahim said this when the committee, led by its chairman, Mr Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, paid a courtesy call on him at the Ministry yesterday.He explained that the organi­sation of the National Prayer and Thanksgiving Day was important as it would help in sustaining the peace since attaining indepen­dence.Again, Mr Ibrahim said that the event would help enhance the social and peaceful coexistence between the various religious de­nominations in the country."Prayer and Thanksgiving are spiritual sacrifices.

If you do it well, you get returns, and if you do it anyhow, you will get the oppo­site reward, which is punishment.

President John Dramani Mahama and the Ministers of State cannot do the work alone.

It is a collective responsibility," Mr Ibrahim said.He further pledged the support of his Ministry to the committee in the execution of its mandate of coordinating and planning the annual event.For his part, Mr Ankrah said the purpose of the visit by the plan­ning committee was to formally introduce its members to Mr Ibra­him, update him on what had been done so far and discuss the way forward in terms of the organisa­tion of the event, as the Minister could not attend the inauguration of the committee by President Mahama.Mr Afriyie Ankrah, providing an update on what the committee had done so far, said that, the theme chosen for the National Prayer and Thanksgiving Day was, "Reflect, Reset, and Renewal for National Prosperity."He also said that Christian prayers and thanksgiving would be held at the forecourt of the State House on July 1, 2025, from 8 a.m.