Beyond prophecies: Ghana needs more than divine intervention

Recently, there has been considerable discussion about the proposal that all prophecies aimed at government officials should be sent directly to the President’s office.

This suggestion is intriguing, and very Ghanaian in its blend of faith and politics, but it also presents an opportunity for a broader conversation on how we can honour our deep spiritual roots while also taking practical steps to address the everyday issues that complicate our lives.

This question became painfully relevant following two tragic events.

On August 6, a helicopter crash claimed the lives of eight individuals, including our defence minister and environment minister.

Just two weeks earlier, on July 28, a burst tyre on a fuel tanker led to a head-on collision on the Accra–Kumasi highway, resulting in the deaths of 16 young people from Obogu’s Saviour Church of Ghana; among them, two of the pastor’s own children.

As the nation mourned, some prophets claimed to have foreseen these tragedies.

While such prophecies may provide comfort to some, they also prompt a practical question: when danger is anticipated, do we take action to prevent it, or simply pray for protection?

The Obogu tragedy highlights a more significant issue.

Those 16 young lives were lost not merely to fate, but due to poor road conditions and safety systems that failed them.

Anyone who has driven our highways, from Accra to Kumasi to Cape Coast, is familiar with the sight of vehicles wheezing away like tired elephants held together by sheer determination and the driver’s faith, navigating potholes that have become unofficial landmarks.

We are a resourceful people; some of our cars have been in service since Nkrumah’s era, but there is a fine line between ingenuity and risking lives.

Aggressive driving, reckless overtaking, and the belief that traffic rules are “optional” only exacerbate the situation.

The harsh reality? We don’t need a prophecy to explain the frequent accidents.

We already know.

Our spirituality is one of Ghana’s greatest strengths.

From Sunday morning hymns to Friday Mosque prayers and the traditional shrines that dot our country, faith is deeply embedded in our lives.

However, as our elders wisely say: “When you pray, move your feet.”

Prayer can bless a journey, but it cannot substitute for brake pads.

Prophecy can alert us to danger, but it should inspire real action, repairing roads, inspecting vehicles, and training drivers, not merely more prayers.

If a prophet warns of impending trouble, the faithful response is to pray and prepare.

Report

Rather than sending prophecies to the President’s office, imagine submitting a report on the potholes between Winneba and Kasoa, followed by strategies for their repair.

Envision a Ghana where our roads are smooth, our traffic lights function properly and our aircraft are maintained as diligently as our places of worship.

We have always been a nation of problem-solvers.

We have overcome colonialism, coups and numerous challenges by combining faith with action.

Now, we need that same spirit to ensure that no family has to bury a loved one due to a preventable accident.

Let us honour the memories of those we have lost, not solely with prayers, but with safer roads, improved vehicle inspections and a culture that values prevention as much as protection.

This is how we truly enact our faith.

By caring for one another in practical, tangible ways, because at the end of the day, the most powerful prayer is the one uttered from a secure seatbelt, in a well-maintained vehicle, on a road that does not require a miracle to navigate.

The writer is a Lecturer in Social Work, Social Policy and Law, University of Gloucestershire, UK.

A proud Ghanaian who believes in both divine blessings and functional brake systems.