By King Amoah
From time immemorial those who champion peace and unity have been held in high esteem as representatives of God.
Recognizing that peace is the bedrock of sustainable economic development, the state of Ghana established the National Peace Council and further encouraged religious institutions to organize under the umbrella of the Christian Council of Ghana.
The mandate was to serve as the moral compass of the nation and act as a buffer against social discord.
However in the face of the unprecedented corruptions, rising crime, lawlessness and economic instability, a growing segment of the Ghanaian public are asking a sobering question:
Have these institutions become inactive?
A recent opinion poll which the correspondent carried out to sample views from across the country had a disturbing response.
Mary Painstil a citizen of Prestea viewed the Peace Council and Christian Council as “dead on arrival” entities that spend taxpayer resources while failing to address the very vices they were mandated to curb.
For many, the primary grievance is the perceived loss of neutrality as Philip Manu a resident of Sunyani argued that these bodies have abandoned their roles as impartial arbiters.
Manu alleged that instead of standing neutral and speaking the truth with boldness the sector’s officials turn themselves into politicians.
Manu contended that many officials within these organizations are compromised by choosing to defend the indefensible to protect their own bread and butter..
The Silence on Moral Decay:
The frustration extended to the perceived moral bankruptcy within the religious space itself.
This according to Mary Pramang from Offinso she is deeply disappointed in the Christian Council’s inability to regulate the phenomenon where self styled men of God often lead the public astray through exploitation and charlatanism.
If these bodies cannot bring their own colleagues to book, then how can we claim that Ghana is a Christian nation, she asked.
For Pramang the failure to address rampant corruption within the religious sector is a clear sign that the Council has lost its spiritual and moral authority.
The “Galamsey” Complicity:
Perhaps the most stinging indictment comes from Prince Oware of Kumawu Bodomase, who targeted the organizations’ silence on the ongoing galamsey (illegal mining) crisis.
Oware was blunt in his assessment, alleging that some officials within these bodies are themselves beneficiaries of mining concessions.
As opinions continue to unfold appeals have been channelled to the Presidential to consider whether the two bodies should be scrapped or measures are put in place to regulate their activities to benefit Ghanaians.
