Ghanaian Priest Decries Monetization of Politics ahead of Elections

CANAA || By Damian Avevor, Ghana || 15 February 2016

The deputy Secretary General at the National Catholic Secretariat in Ghana, Father Emmanuel Abbey-Quaye has called on Religious leaders and Christian people, to condemn in no uncertain terms the use of money to do politics as the country warms up for the general elections slated for November 7, 2016.

He was delivering his keynote address on Sunday, February 14, at a Mass to climax of this Year’s Bible Week celebration in Ghana at the Our Lady Star of the Catholic Church in Accra on the theme “The Bible: Guide To Godly Leadership” (Titus 1:7-14).

Fr. Abbey-Quaye noted that the monetization of politics in Ghana was a disgrace and a disease eating into Ghana’s democracy at an alarming rate that needs to be halted.

He called on Ghanaians to learn to reject those who use intimidation and propaganda to win political power at all cost for they have nothing to offer except to seek the mandate of the people for their own selfish interests and to loot the nation.

He decried the phenomenon of idolatry and vote-buying creeping into Ghanaian body politic, the use of intemperate language, propaganda, threat, intimidation and violence, before, during and after elections.

He commended the organizers of this year’s Bible Week Celebration, namely, the Bible Society of Ghana, the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG), the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) and the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC).

Fr. Abbey-Quaye called on those holding leadership positions to constantly seek the Lord for His guidance and direction.

“All Christians have a role in ensuring that we choose leaders who will live by the values of the Bible for a group or nation cannot succeed if its leaders do not adhere to the principles taught by God’s Word, “a lamp to our feet and light to our path” (Ps. 119:104).”

He said that to become a godly leader, one should be able to serve all and be prepared to spend and to be spent, urging leaders to lead by the example of their own lives and not just by what they say.

“They are to lead in righteousness and not in wrongdoing for a throne is established through righteousness and kings should detest wrongdoing,” he said in reference to God-fearing leaders, adding, “They are to guide their followers in honesty and truth; to make good rules and commandments for their people.”

He urged Christians to reflect on the choices they make daily, especially regarding the values of the kingdom and the values of the world - power, possession and pleasure while the values of the Kingdom are service, detachment and self-sacrifice.

“With 70% of Ghanaians professing to be Christians, one would have hoped that the values of the kingdom would be evident in daily living but unfortunately, what we see on daily basis is the pursuit of power at all cost, wealth by any means possible and pleasure without boundaries,” Fr. Abbey-Quaye decried.

The Father-in-charge of Our Lady Star of the Sea, Charles Ackon, concelebrated at the Mass.

A delegation from the Bible Society of Ghana led by Rev. Emmanuel Antwi-Tumfuor and scores of Parishioners of Star of the Sea participated in the celebration.