Clergy have crucial role to play in political health of nation — Mahama

The clergy and churches have a crucial role to play in ensuring the political and economic health of the country, particularly as the nation prepares for the 2024 general election, the Flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has stated.

He said as Christian fathers and the moral voice of the nation, they had the influence and the persuasive abilities to speak against issues that would affect the quest for ensuring free and fair elections and improving the current state of the economy to restore hope, as well as help ameliorate the sufferings of Ghanaians.

Mr Mahama, therefore, suggested that churches begin the process by partnering with the private sector and government to set up businesses to reduce the youth unemployment rate, which he described as a “ticking time bomb”.

The NDC flag bearer stated these at a meeting in Accra yesterday (Monday, May 20, 2024) with the Christian Ecumenical Council made up of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), Christian Council of Ghana, Council of Independent Churches, Apostolic Fathers and the National Council of Charismatic and Christian Churches (NACC).

It formed part of the flag bearer's nationwide, “Building the Ghana we want together” interactions. Accompanying Mr Mahama were the NDC National Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketia; the General Secretary of the NDC, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey; former Minister of Youth and Sports, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, and other party bigwigs.

The NDC flag bearer urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to be fair and neutral stressing that although there were things that political parties could do to ensure free and fair elections, a lot depended on how the EC conducted the elections.

“We at NDC want to wake up the conscience of the people that the right things must be done,” he further explained.
 

Economic boost

Touching on the proposed 24-hour economy, Mr Mahama said it was a “Cost-cutting economic policy” that would impact on all sectors of the economy, both public and private. 

"We intend to involve the Church in the creation of businesses to boost the economy and create employment because youth unemployment is a ticking time bomb. “In 2016, the unemployment situation in the country was 8.5 per cent but today it is 14.7 per cent and increasing" the NDC flag bearer added.

“The Church has a dual responsibility both in terms of meeting the spiritual and material needs of its congregation. The Church has a role to play in making sure that the economy is run well so that the citizenry and the congregation can have better lives,” he stated. 

 Reaction

The Presiding Archbishop and General Overseer of the Action Chapel International (ACI), Nicholas Duncan-Williams, in an interview with the media later, urged the youth to allow their “Conscience and conviction” to determine how they would choose the next president and not to be driven by emotions.