The General Superintendent of Assemblies of God Church in Ghana, Rev. Professor Paul Frimpong-Manso has admonished the media to desist from labeling pastors with political parties.
According to him, pastors occupy a very delicate position in society and as such painting them as belonging to a particular political party makes it difficult for them to operate as they should.
“Associating pastors with political parties, and I’m talking about the media. Pastors like chiefs… are civil society leaders. We are respected leaders who welcome everyone. So, {if} today 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 uncivilized for people to begin to insult pastors and say that the pastor belongs to party A, B, C or D. They make things very very difficult for us to lead and become the conscience of the nation.”
He made these comments at a programme held at the headquarters of the Assemblies of God Church in Accra by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to introduce the party’s running mate Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang to the leadership of the Christian Council.
About three weeks ago, the Presiding Bishop of Perez Chapel International, Bishop Charles Agyinasare, after questioning the manner in which some banks were collapsed in the country came under attack from some sections of the population.
The Bishop indicated that, over the years, many reputable indigenous businessmen and entrepreneurs have been destroyed out of jealousy and envy by some politicians.
After his pronouncements, the founder and leader of the Glorious Word Power Ministries, Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah criticised him in an interview on Oman FM, a pro NPP radio station.
Speaking at the event, Former President John Mahama commended the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council for boldly defending Bishop Agyinasare because of the attacks from some sections of society.
Reverend Frimpong-Manso also rubbished prophecies by some pastors who claim to know who will win a general election anytime one draws nigh. He, therefore, urged politicians to focus on campaigning and not to heed to the lies of those so-called prophets.
“As we are getting closer to elections my fellow politicians and pastors, there has been a practice of people prophesying about elections. I want to say in all uncertain terms that these things are wrong, fake and false and we should not bang our hopes on them.
“God has giving the power to choose the leader through elections through campaigns, through the ballot box. If it will be through prophecies, there will not be the need for elections and campaigns and the ballot box. So dear politicians these people can exploit you, they can create confusion and they will make things wrong.”
Again, he entreated politicians in the country to make sure that the country’s electioneering discourse is devoid of vitriolic speech.
“As we are advising our politicians, they should go out and sell messages. They should not go out and insult one another. I believe that doesn’t support growth. The propaganda way of insulting and attacking is backward.”
