Opinions of Wednesday, 5 February 2014

Columnist: Ajike, Iwajowa

Duncan-Willams Literally Prays for Money

Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams is at it is again with more bizarre teachings. Last week he was preaching Nelson Mandela instead of Jesus Christ when he said he wants to 'live and die like Mandela'. Now, he has started praying for money, literally. Duncan-Willams has spiritually "commanded" the falling cedi to "rise".

Leading his followers, in Church on Sunday February 2, 2014, to pray for the recovery of the fast depreciating local currency, the Presiding Bishop and General Overseer of the Christian Action Faith Ministries (CAFM) headquartered in the national capital, Accra, said: "...I hold up the cede with prayer and I command the cedi to recover and I declare the cedi will not fall; it will not fall any further. I command the cede to climb. I command the resurrection for the cede. I command and release a miracle for the economy".

What a mockery of the Christian faith. What sense does it make to pray for the object instead of the subject? Should a pastor pray for a student's pen instead of the student? Will a poor student who did not study pass the test simply because his pen was prayed for? Would it make any sense to pray for the football and instead of the football players? The proper prayer would have simply been for the management of currency of Ghana Republic, not the cedi.

The cedi has already depreciated by three per cent against the major international currencies this month. The US dollar, which sold at Ghc2.20 on the local foreign exchange market before Christmas last year, now sells at Ghc2.60. The British pound, which sold at Ghc3 now sells at Ghc4.20. The euro and CFA are also selling at Ghc3.50 and Ghc4.80 respectively. In 2013, the local currency suffered 17-per cent depreciation. The year-on-year depreciation shows a 21.96 per cent depreciation of the cedi against the dollar; 28.88 per cent against the pound sterling; 23.98 per cent against the euro and 25.54 per cent against the Swiss franc. The Bank of Ghana recently injected $20 million into critical areas of the economy as part of efforts to shore up the cedi. Where there is no vision people perish. This man lacks vision.