Christian Council wants directors of collapsed banks prosecuted
The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) has called for the arrest and prosecution of all those who are allegedly involved in the recent banking scandal that affected seven commercial banks.
It said the directors of those commercial banks and officials of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) involved in the scandal must be made to cough up the money and be arraigned.
Speaking at the opening of the 2018 Synod of the Global Evangelical Church in Accra on Thursday, the General Secretary the CCG, Rev. Dr Cyril Fayorsey, commended the Governor of the BoG, Dr Ernest Addison, for his bold decision to stop the rot that had the propensity to jeopardise the entire economy of Ghana.
Within one year, the BoG has closed down two banks and merged five others for various acts of mismanagement that affected the banks’ capacity to operate.
The entities are uniBank, The Royal Bank, the Beige Bank, the Sovereign Bank, the Construction Bank, the UT Bank and the Capital Bank.
The BoG spent more than GH¢7 billion on those banks but the money could not be used to revive them.
Rev. Dr Fayorsey expressed indignation at the conduct of some people who established banks with the aim of helping the economy but turned round to dupe the state and depositors, leading to the wasting of national resources which could have been used to bring relief to the poor and develop the country.
Read also: Consolidated Bank Ltd takes over assets of 5 collapsed banks
Corruption
He said Ghanaians were scandalised by the acts of corruption and misbehaviour in the country, especially when more than 75 per cent of the population were Christians.
He said that was an indictment on the Christian community and an indication that 75 per cent of the wrongs and ills in the country were being committed by Christians.
He urged Christians to refrain from such nation-wrecking acts and turn over new leaves, embrace Christian principles and help ensure that the country was rid of such practices which were frowned upon by the Holy Bible.
Church
Rev. Dr Fayorsey said the Church in Ghana was in a crisis because some pastors and founders of churches had been involved in extremism and abnormal practices which had attracted the attention and condemnation of many well-meaning Ghanaians.
He said the extent of the misbehaviour had ignited the conversation for the regulation of the activities of churches to halt the malpractices.
The General Secretary of the CCG said the Church had fought the initial move for regulation, but the time had come for the conversation to commence because all professionals such as lawyers and doctors went through thorough training and certification which had helped to instil discipline in them, adding that a similar arrangement could be made for churches and pastors.
Double track
He commended the President for his avowed dedication and conviction to ensure that every Ghanaian child was educated but called for further discussions, especially with the Ghana Education Service and faith-based organisations, on how best to implement the double-track system.
EC
Rev. Dr Fayorsey commended the sacked Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs Charlotte Osei, for successfully holding the 2016 elections, adding that although she had had problems recently, her good works must be remembered.
He congratulated Mrs Jean Mensa, the new EC Chairperson, on her appointment and urged her to work with neutrality, objectivity and fairness to restore confidence in the electoral system.