The Executive Director of the Alliance for Christian Advocacy Africa, Rev. Dr. Kwabena Opuni Frimpong, has raised concerns about politicians using gifts as a manipulative strategy to establish partnerships with religious leaders.

According to him, most of these politicians use the gifts given to religious leaders as a base to form partnerships of convenience for their campaigns or political bids.

Speaking on Joy News on January 22, 2023, Rev. Dr. Opuni Frimpong, who once served as the General Secretary of the Christian Council, noted that politicians view their relationships with traditional and church leaders as strategic investments, aiming to exert control over various segments of society.

He emphasised the importance of religious leaders being aware of the underlying intentions behind such gifts.

Rev. Dr. Opuni-Frimpong warned that what might be perceived as a simple gift could, in reality, be a manipulative strategy to secure a convenient partnership.

“Politicians make investments, and for them it's not a joke or a game. They want to control everybody, including traditional and church leaders and it's a strategy our politicians are embarking on. If you are a faith based leader and you miss that, you are in trouble.

“Sometimes, they play the game with gifts. Certain public servants are not supposed to take gifts but traditional leaders, pastors, we are free to take gifts. For you it's a gift but to some of them, it's a manipulative strategy, they want partnership for convenience so they come to you often. You have received their gifts therefore you are with them and you are part of them,” he said.

Drawing from his personal experience as the former General Secretary of the Christian Council, Rev. Dr. Opuni-Frimpong shared a strategic approach he employed to maintain transparency in dealings with politicians.

“I have managed the Christian Council for years so I understand how we play the game. My strategy was you come to Christian Council, you drop an envelope, I will call my director of finance to count whatever is brought and a receipt is issued in the name of the council, we add a letter of appreciation. Most of the politicians don't agree to this approach but I tell them, they came to me as the general secretary and that is how I will handle it. But it is a strategy we must know,” he explained.

Rev. Dr. Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong also explained the concept of "partnership for convenience," where he mentioned that politicians would prefer to keep their dealings with faith-based leaders as private and expect them to cover up for them in public.

“What it means is, they prefer that you don't bring their dirty stuff in public so they insist you have a behind-the-scene engagement and many pastors have fallen into that trap” he added.

NW/AE