THE United Cadres’ Front (UCF) of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called the bluff of the heads of churches and the executive committee members of the Christian Council of Ghana for failing to recognize the numerous achievements of government during its recent assessment of the economy.

According to the UCF, though they welcome the views of the outcome of the heads of organizations and executive committee members of the Christian Council, they think the Council failed to provide a balanced view when they assessed the government.

In a press statement signed by the General Secretary of the UCF, Felix Efenam Nyaku and copied to the DAILY HERITAGE, the UCF noted that “the Council even failed to recognize the showers of blessing the Good Lord has bestowed on us as a nation; as sinful as we are. At least, the Council should have acknowledged the peace and stability that Ghanaians go about their duties and responsibilities without hindrance.”

According to the UCF, they strongly believe that the religious body has rather abandoned its prophetic call in helping the government to seriously tackle the problems that the Council laid at the door-step of the government.

“Having over 70% of the population under its armpit as Christians, we believe the Christian Council needed not to wait on government to provide education through the pulpit on good sanitation practices, hard work, shun of unbridled opulence, corruption that has engulfed every fabric of our society; and of course demand for good governance as they have done.”

Mr. Nyaku also noted that it is a well-known fact, admitted by government that the national economy is challenged having repercussions on the development efforts of the country including non-fulfillment of statutory obligations. It is also a fact that some sections of the population are facing hardship due to for example unemployment.

“But have we gravely reflected on the fact that Ghanaians, by and large, enjoy to the fullest on Friday nights; organize and attend very expensive funerals and other social events on Saturdays; and to crown it all, attend church on Sundays in the best of clothes, call for the best of engagements and weddings; and generously participate in multiple offertory and appeal-for-funds sessions?”

The UCF noted, “If the Church could re-discover its age-old role of providing moral counseling and practice of virtue in society; if the church could join hands with the government in the provision of schools, hospitals and other social and economic infrastructure, especially, among the vulnerable and less-privileged people living in the remotest parts of our country - without waiting for government approval - then the mission of prophecy and partners in development as espoused in the Christian Council's release could have been consummated and appreciated.

“The UCF is very passionate about this submission since it seems the prophetic role of the church; the parental role of the family; and the modeling roles of the teacher have all been abandoned.”

The UCF made these known after the meeting of Heads of Churches/Organizations and Executive Committee members of the Christian Council of Ghana, held on September 9, 2014 at the Secretariat of the Council, Accra; which culminated in a 66-point release on various issues concerning the wellbeing of Ghana and Ghanaians, and signed by its General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong.