Religion of Sunday, 17 September 2017

Source: ghananewsagency.org

Power Mission Church calls for peace in Togo

Apostle Emmanuel Astiko, Founder and Leader of Power Mission Church at Dzodze Apostle Emmanuel Astiko, Founder and Leader of Power Mission Church at Dzodze

An appeal has been made to all regional peace stakeholders to mediate in the ongoing political crises in Togo and help prevent the escalation of violence and bloodshed in the West African country.

Speaking at an intercession “Danger-All-Night” programme at the headquarters of Power Mission Church at Dzodze in the Ketu North District of the Volta Region, Apostle Emmanuel Astiko, Founder and Leader of the Church, called on the United Nations, the African Union and ECOWAS not to relent in their efforts to help bring under control the rift between the Togolese government and its populace.

The massively attended event included members from the Togo branch and other concerned citizens.

All attendees of the programme wore red signifying the demonstration of Togolese against the “alteration of that country’s constitution,” which mandates a sitting president to sit for only two terms.

Apostle Astiko cautioned: “We should not wait for unarmed innocent citizens to die before these powerful international organisations act.”

He said the church was not behind or against a particular party in “Togoland,” but was only concerned about the killings of innocent people and regretted that the international community has been very quiet.

Apostle Astiko said because the church wanted peace to reign in Togo, Ghana and the Sub-region, it embarked on the intercession programme, so that the Almighty God would wipe the bitterness and sorrow that has engulfed Togo.

Apostle Astiko said many in the Volta Region and some from the Greater Accra Region have their kith and kin in Togo and what affects them affects us as well.

He said that it is God who promotes kings and removes them and so God is responsible for changing the season, adding; “in matters like this, we leave everything to God.”

Apostle Astiko cited instances like Psalm 75 verse 7; Jeremiah 25 verse 9; Romans 13 verse 1 to 7, among others, to buttress his points.

He said God will continue to support a president who uses the will of God to rule the people, adding; “this is why if a president goes wayward, he removes him.”

Apostle Astiko said many countries in Africa have leadership crises, but the continent is rich and has all the resources that it takes to improve and enhance the living conditions of the masses.

He said when the righteous are in authority the citizens of a country rejoice, but when the unrighteous are in authority, the citizens mourn.

He cautioned the people of Togo to be careful when going about their affairs saying “if you see people holding guns, you don’t have to throw stones, else they would kill you.”

Bishop Andrew Kwaku Walter, Assistant to the Apostle, said the church was committed to ensuring peace and harmony in all of its national and international braches, hence it was praying ceaselessly for the timely intervention of God to bring peace to Togo.