CRIME RATE and moral decadence amongst Ghanaians living in Germany have drastically died down recently, thanks to the flooding of branches of Ghanaian churches and churches led by Ghanaians in that country, reports Joseph Coomson from Dusselfdorf.

The number of such churches in Dusseldorf alone has quadrupled to over 15 in the last few years.

In an interview granted Chronicle, the assistant head pastor of the House of Prayer and Outreach Ministry International, a non-racial church, Anthony Kwabena Nyerese, said that the increase in the number of these churches has been a blessing to them because it has resulted in a change in the social life of Ghanaians living in Germany for the better.

He also said that most Ghanaians are very happy that they can go to church now that they have their indigenous churches here. 'There has been spiritual awakening amongst our people here,' he emphasised. Pastor Nyerese also pointed out that, most Ghanaians prior to these developments got themselves in acts which later developed into quarrels, brawls and fights.

"They used to attend unnecessary events, they drank and sometimes they fought amongst themselves, but these are all things of the past," he added. These good developments are however being hampered by splits which have been identified in some of these churches in Dusseldorf.

Chronicle inquiries have revealed the splits to have occurred in the Catholic, Pentecost and the Resurrection Power churches.Further inquiries into these unfortunate developments revealed that the splits were as a result of incredible and preposterous financial demands made by pastors who go to Germany to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and also those from parent churches in Ghana.

It is believed that some branch churches abroad are planted for money. "They always demand fat financial rewards whenever they come here to preach, even though they are paid at home," one church member reported.

Chronicle further found out that top positions in these churches were fought over and groups that emerged from these divisions are not prepared to tolerate their mother churches.

Lust for money from the church by some elderly members was also mentioned as one of the causes of the splits in these churches. Lack of cooperation between those churches in Germany,especially Dusseldorf, was another shortfall observed about the churches here.

This, the pastor said, was unfortunate and he hoped that all Ghanaian churches and churches led by Ghanaians would cooperate in all aspects, especially in the organization of programmes and resolution of conflicts, to realise the mission of the churches, which is to save lost souls for Christ.

He also advised parent churches not to put unnecessary financial pressures on their branch churches abroad.