PASTORS SPEAK OUT ON NATIONAL ISSUES

It is often said, that the church and the state are partners in development. The Church has, over the years made substantial contribution to the socio-economic wellbeing of the circular society for the advancement of mankind through the provision of key social amenities like healthcare, water and formal education while at the same time, helping to mould the character of the people. 

As shepherds and promoters of the social wellbeing of their members, leaders and Ministers of the churches are thus expected to speak out on issues of national concern to shape national policies in the interest of the people. 

It is against this background that Ministers of churches in the Ashanti region expressed their views about certain happenings in the country during their respective congregations’ last Church services for the year just gone by. 

Speaking to Ashanti Today in an interview during the 31st Watch Night Church Service, the Superintendent Minister of the Atonsu Agogo Circuit of the Methodist Church, Very Reverend Solomon Bruce, expressed dissatisfaction with government’s imposition of the ‘Luxury Tax’ on vehicles. The Tax, according to the Methodist Circuit Superintendent, is inappropriate and should be reconsidered.

"People have been importing V8 and 4x4 vehicles to Ghana not because they are rich but because our roads are very bad. Some roads, even in Kumasi are very it such vehicles that could ply them. I think the Luxury Car Tax is a double slap and government should look at it again", Very Rev. Bruce stressed.

 For his part, the Parish Priest of the Saint Peter’s Catholic Church at Asuoyeboa in the Kwadaso Municipality, Rev. Father Michael Boahene, noted, that even though the church must have love and compassion for people involved in homosexuality, the practice should never be entertained in society in view of its negative consequences on humanity and the circular society. The Catholic Parish Priest described homsexuality as a "sickness... that nothing could justify". Rev. Fr. Boahene refused to recognize the union among same sex people as 'marriage' but described it as an 'association that is abnormal defeating God's purpose for marriage'. "This is one clear sign of the end of time", he cautioned.

In his view, the Senior Pastor in charge of the Calvary Charismatic Centre at Atasemanso, Pastor Sammy Aduama, Ghana’s could witness exponential socio-economic development within three years without foreign aid only if there would a national unity of purpose.

"We must stop the pettiness, insult, excessive partisanship. If we stop these, I can promise on the authority of the Scripture, that within three years, we can turn around our development without aid", the CCC Senior Pastor assured.

On his part, the South Suntreso District Pastor of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Ben Appiah was more than satisfied with agricultural productivity in the country last year for which Ghanaians must be thankful to God. He said 'Ghana has a lot to be thankful to God for in 2018", he noted. 

According to him, there was enough rains that culminated in 'bumper harvest in plantain, yam and cassava which have become very cheap on the market."