Ghana is pregnant pregnant with bribery, corruption and extortion, and that religious, political and traditional leaders are all involved.

 

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Rt. Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey, has said Ghana has become pregnant with bribery, corruption and extortion, and that religious, political and traditional leaders are all involved.

He has therefore advised political, religious and traditional leaders, as well as law enforcement agencies including the police, to desist from corrupt practices and serve the interest of Ghanaian citizenry rather than their own parochial interest.

He said Ghanaians needed leaders who were truthful and would use all the abundant resources the country was endowed with to enhance their living conditions.

The Moderator made the observation and gave the advice in a sermon on the theme: “Hope for the lost World" at the Odumase Krobo Zimmerman Congregation of the Presbyterian Church, when he launched the Dangme Edition of the Presbyterian Hymnary.

The Dangme-Tongu Presbytery was part of the Ga-Adangme Presbytery which was one of the original presbyteries alongside Akuapem-Anum, Agona-Kotoku, Okwahu, Asante and Asante-Akyem, which was established in 1922.

Rt. Rev. Martey said it was not enough to boast of Ghana as a gateway to Africa when the Black Star Line and other very important properties were nowhere to be found, but rather “we must be ashamed that our leaders have failed us.”

“There is hope for Ghanaians if our leaders be it political, religious, traditional and others would repent and turn away from the corrupt practices and other evil ways that have become part and parcel of their lives, and rather seek the welfare of the majority they are leading,” Rt. Rev. Prof. Martey stressed.

He said what the New Patriotic Party (NPP) did during their tenure in office was the same thing that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was doing now. Convention People’s Party (CPP) and other political parties would follow suit when they come to power.

The Moderator asked when all these canker of bribery, extortion and corruption would come to an end in the country, and the poor who were in the majority would live comfortable lives?

He said extortion, corruption and other evil practices in society that John of the Gospel talked about was with us in Ghana today, and warned that there would be probity and accountability and those found culpable would answer for their misdeeds.

He said if every Ghanaian worker was content and satisfied with the pay according to the work done, it would not call for bribery and extortion which was known in the Ghanaian parlance as “put weight on it" which had become the order of the day.

The Moderator lamented the way political and traditional leaders have sold all the lands without any reservation, and asked what the future generation would use?

He also blamed religious leaders who extorted money from their church members in the name of God.

"We shall be accountable for our religious, political and traditional stewardship roles and there is the need for leaders to manage the resources that are at their disposal in the best interest of the people to whom they have been made leaders,” Prof. Martey stressed.

He said just as Jesus Christ would separate the wheat from the chaff when he comes, so also would corrupt leaders, whom he likened to chaff, would be found guilty of bribery, corruption and extortion, and would be dealt with and thrown into unquenchable fire.

The Moderator was full of praise for the ministers and the committee members who helped in translating the Ga hymns into Dangme in order to promote the Dangme language.

He also charged the committee to translate the catechism of the PCG into Dangme.