The International Council for Clergy (ICC), an Association of Independent Ministers and Churches, on Wednesday expressed displeasure about the public display of arrogance and disrespect by some members of the clergy.
The council cited the media feud between Bishop Daniel Obinim, General Overseer of God’s Way International Church and Reverend Ebenezer Opambour Adarkwa Yiadom, General Overseer of the Ebenezer Miracle Worship Centre and described their conduct as “worrying”.
Archbishop Dr George Slezer Ofori-Atta, Presiding Archbishop of the ICC who addressed a press conference in Accra said it was incumbent that the church provided the necessary leadership for the well- being of the nation.
“It is worrying to hear about the trading of insults on the air waves and the sending of threatening text messages... by two well known Ministers of God,” he said.
“We wish to state that, the purpose of the church is to salvage society from its moral decadence, save souls and prepare them to inherit the glorious future kingdom here after.”
Archbishop Ofori-Atta said the incident should not be misconstrued that all members of the clergy were emotionally unbalanced and immoral.
He called on Bishop Obinim and Rev. Yiadom to acknowledge that their divine gifts were meant for the saving of souls to enable people to serve the Lord, adding: “It is irresponsible on their part as leaders in the Church and the Nation to be trading insults on the air waves and cursing people.”
Archbishop Ofori-Atta said their alleged action had caused unnecessary conflict between their followers and sympathizers and called on stakeholders to impress on them to tone down their language and seek reconciliation.
He called on the government to declare a national day of prayer for Ghanaians to pray for the success of the nation.
Touching on politics, the Archbishop appealed to former President Jerry John Rawlings to be circumspective about his public criticisms of President John Evans Atta Mills, explaining that his style, tend to create unnecessary tension.
The ICC applauded the democratic culture that Ghana had carved for itself.
“It is imperative that we have all the players in our body politics and governance to meaningfully contribute their quota to ensure the Freedom and Justice embossed in our Coat of Arms as a social reality.”
Archbishop also commented on the Bawku crises and called on the government to address the impasse dispassionately and fish out the trouble makers and prosecute them.
He called on all parties to the conflict to end the blood bath, stressing: “ We call upon those who do not engage in the actual fighting but fuel it and provide the ammunitions for the feuding parties to desist from it.
“Let the conflicting parties themselves acknowledge their blood relationship and come together, noting that those who fuel the conflict are fooling them.
“We call on them to note that by this conflict, development and stability will always be at bay. The nation therefore loses its human and material resources.”
Archbishop Ofori-Atta commended the government for committing itself to the centenary celebrations of the birth of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President, whom he described as “a capable leader of the nation”.
