General News of Thursday, 13 August 2020

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Stop associating pastors with political parties – Frimpong Manso warns media

President of Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, Rev. Prof Paul Frimpong Manso play videoPresident of Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, Rev. Prof Paul Frimpong Manso

It is not uncommon to see some popular men of God within the camps of political parties and by extension certain politicians. The practice has been usually as a result of where the politicians fellowship.

Others have also been tagged spiritual fathers to Ghanaian leaders since they are normally found in the company of these politicians.

In some cases, the men of God are seen and heard speaking in favour of the politicians in certain political parties.

It has become a rare occurrence for these religious leaders to speak positively about the ‘rivals’ of the politicians they represent.

The phenomenon has led to the rise of pastors being associated with some political parties and politicians.

President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, Rev. Prof. Paul Frimpong Manso who does not take lightly to this has registered his displeasure at the media for leading the frontiers with the occurrence.

He avers that like chiefs, pastors are society leaders in the country who should not be associated with political parties as it tends to peg them against each other.

“Pastors like chiefs are civil society leaders. We are respected leaders who welcome everyone. So today if NDC calls me I will go, NPP calls me I will go, CPP calls me I will go and if any of them wins power I will give my best to support them because they are in for the betterment of the nation.

“So, it is uncivil for people to begin to insult pastors and say that the pastor belongs to A, B, C and D.

"They make things very difficult for us to lead and become the conscience of the nation,” he indicated to a room filled with leadership of the NDC, members of the Christian Council and the media including GhanaWeb.



Pastors such as Prophet Nigel Gaisie, Prophet Badu Kobi among others have been found to have made predictions about former President John Dramani Mahama’s victory in the December polls.

Founder and leader of the Glorious Power Ministries, Rev Isaac Owusu Bempah has also been in the habit of doing same for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The pastor who has not hidden his affiliation to the New Patriotic Party has over the years been referred to as the spiritual father of the incumbent President.

But Rev Frimpong Manso maintains that the practice of the media tagging the men of God with certain political parties denigrates their work and inhibits them from fully functioning as leaders in the society.

“So, we’re saying that we will support His Excellency President Mahama if the Lord gives him the opportunity to come. We will also support President Akufo-Addo or anybody and we don’t want people to divide us and use us against one another. We are Ghanaians and we always support our politicians,” he concluded.