School leavers entering politics to amass wealth – Rev Prof Martey

The Former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Reverend Professor Emmanuel Martey has expressed concern about how fresh school leavers were engaging in partisan politics to amass wealth.

This, he said was a result of the failure of the system to punish leaders for engaging in corrupt activities but rather celebrating leaders who cause financial losses to the state.

Speaking as a special guest preacher during the home-coming service organised by the First Baptist Church, Tema Community Five as part of its 50th anniversary, Rev Prof Martey called for the need for Ghanaians to elect politicians with integrity to lead the nation.

He bemoaned the situation where unlike other countries, who punish their leaders for corruption, Ghana celebrate leaders who cause financial losses to the state.

Integrity

The Former Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana charged politicians to display a high sense of moral integrity as they go about their daily activities in order to achieve greater heights in their line of duty.

He lamented how corruption had gained root in Ghanaian politics saying, “People go into politics for money. You see a fresh school leaver go into politics and when unfortunately he’s given a position, and the first thing he does is to amass wealth.”

He said in countries such as South Korea where officials found to be corrupt were punished, Ghana celebrated leaders who had caused the nation lots of monetary losses.

“We shouldn’t be in this state. Go to South Korea. In the 50’s when we had our independence, South Korea also had her independence. ….the GDP is almost the same.  The only difference between the two nations is that South Korea for the past two or three years, they have jailed two heads of states for money laundering and corruption but you in Ghana, you rather hail the thieves and want them to come back again. This is serious!” he exclaimed.

Commendation

Rev. Professor Martey congratulated First Baptist Church and its leaders for their pioneering efforts and charged the current generation of members to go out into the world and make an impact.

“The sacrificial services rendered by the pioneers of this church should inspire us the present generation to sacrifice for the church and the nation”

He advised the church members and Ghanaians not to only look for what the church and the nation could do for them but also what they could do for their church and nation, observing that that was how God’s blessings came unto his people

Rev. David Kwame. Senior Pastor., First Baptist Church, Tema in an interview said the essence of the homecoming services was to the have fellowship with the number of churches that First Baptist Church gas planted over the years.

He said leadership plays a key role and as a church, and as a church, they owe it to their members and the nation to draw attention when things are not being done right. “Unfortunately in this part of our world, when you try to correct a government and draw attention, you are attacked and looked at in a certain way. That should not be the case.  For any country to succeed, it depends so much on leadership.” He said

Writer’s email: benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh