News:
November 23, 2020
The General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, Dr. Paul Frimpong Manso has admonished the media and political parties to move away from tagging the clergy of either being for the government and against the opposition or the other way round.
According to him when government in power does that which is right, the clergy would commend her and sometimes the opposition would say all the pastors have taken partisan sides, “it is very hurting”.
Again, when government does that which is wrong and the clergy talks about it people sit on radio and use all kinds of unkind words, “we are only building a culture of silence, the clergy would say when we talk people would say this or that”.
He noted that, recently someone asked, “where is Professor Marty, the wise men” all these things if the media and politicians do such things they insight confusion, the clergy do not stand for any political party.
“But we cannot keep quiet, for the good of the people, if a party in government does well we would applaud the government, you cannot stop me from applauding government when she does something that would benefit children and the vulnerable in the society, when I say it you tell me I am partisan?”
Again, you cannot prevent me from talking if free education is helping people, at the same time the clergy cannot be told not to criticize when there is a poor sanitation situation and people are suffering, there are mosquitoes, and flooding destroying our society; we should understand each other and see the critical role the clergy is playing, he added.
Dr. Frimpong Manso who was speaking on behalf of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches, at an event organised by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, called for peace to prevail as it takes all stakeholders to build consensus and appreciate their differences.
“Accommodating one another is important as we are making an upward journey democratically, we need to carry one another along, it is the way to go, everybody has gotten a role, the religious leaders and the media”.
And added that, one of the things worrying is sometimes people do not understand the role of the church leaders; they are gate keepers, and complementing government. “We do not stand for the opposition nor are we part of the government”.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com