[ 2014-09-14 ]

Ghanaians have lost confidence in gov’t – Christian Council
The Christian Council of Ghana has said Ghanaians
have lost confidence in government and President
John Dramani Mahama.

This was contained in a communiqué issued after a
meeting with the heads of churches, organizations
and executive committee members.

The statement said, “the current economic
situation in the country is worsening the
livelihoods of our people and has become
unbearable”

It further stated that “government’s
assurances and efforts at improving the economy
and the livelihoods of Ghanaians must be backed
with real evidence in the lives of our people.”

Government has come under criticisms for the
worsening economic situation the country is
facing, which has seen a significant depreciation
of the cedi, high inflation, erratic power supply,
high cost of living among others.

An economist and former governor of the Bank of
Ghana, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia recently described
Ghana’s economy as a “crises situation.”

The communiqué signed by the General Secretary
Rev. Dr. Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong also called on the
government to fulfill its obligations of paying
statutory funds on time.

Below is the full communiqué from the Council

Adopted at the Joint Heads of
Churches/Organizations and Executive Committee
Meeting of the Christian Council of Ghana held at
its Secretariat on September 9, 2014.

We, the Heads of Churches/Organizations and
Executive Committee members of the Christian
Council of Ghana, having met on September 9, 2014
at the Secretariat of the Council, Accra;

Having discussed issues pertaining to the
socio-economic development of our dear nation;

Acknowledging our prophetic role as development
partners, which imposes a responsibility on us to
continue to support nation building efforts and
hold government accountable for the well-being of
every citizen of this country; while promoting
national dialogue around the search for policies
and strategies towards the economic growth,
prosperity and peace of our people;

To this end, we declare;

That, the current economic situation in the
country is worsening the livelihoods of our people
and has become unbearable;

That, government’s assurances and efforts at
improving the economy and the livelihoods of
Ghanaians must be backed with real evidence in the
lives of our people;

That, every Ghanaian should support the government
in finding a lasting solution to our current
challenges;

That, we must come together as one people with a
common destiny to develop this great country of
ours and eschew partisanship in the way and manner
we handle national issues;

That, the Ghanaian interest (national interest)
and the dignity of the Ghanaian (Ghanaian dignity)
must be at the centre of our efforts and national
engagements;

That, we believe strongly that Ghana can rise
again to become the shining example of Africa;

To this end, we ask:

Ebola Virus Disease
That, we have taken note of government’s
commitment to the fight against the Ebola
disease;

That, the Ministry of Health quickly sets up
isolation/treatment centres in all the 10 Regions
of Ghana;

That, the Ministry of Health should quickly train
and resource community health workers to be able
to detect the virus for early treatment;

That, government must train and equip health
professionals with the needed logistics to be able
to handle persons infected by the virus from their
homes;

That; the Ministry of Health and the
Inter-Ministerial Committee should bring on-board
religious leaders in its efforts at effectively
responding to the disease should there be an
outbreak;

That, government must make public available
toll-free numbers and specialized centres within
the regions for easy accessibility;

That, that the Ministry of Health partners with
other Health Ministers within ECOWAS to fight the
spread of the epidemic;

That, the various Civil Society Organizations
(CSOs), media houses, etc supports efforts to
intensify education on the disease;

That, Ebola is a disease caused by the Ebola virus
and not a punishment from God;

That, government should quickly request for the
serum for the treatment of the disease should it
find its way into the country;

That, infected persons should be directed to seek
immediate medical attention;

That, as a Council, we are prepared to partner
with the government, World Health Organisation
(WHO) and other organizations to intensify
education on the virus;

That, international organizations such as the
World Council of Churches, Care International,
Action Aid, Christian Aid and the UN Systems
should support us in undertaking nationwide
education on the virus;

That, we will continue to pray for God to deliver
us from this disease;

That, government extends all
arrangements/preparations towards the Ebola fight
to private and mission hospitals/clinics;

That, insurance packages should be made available
to health professionals who will be dealing with
the disease;

Cholera Outbreak
That, the various Metropolitan, Municipal &
District Assemblies (MMDAs) must take concrete
steps to ensure proper sanitation in the country;

That, the various MMDAs should review and enforce
their by-laws on sanitation;

That, residents should stop the discharge of
sewage and faecal sludge into open drains and
water courses in the metropolis;

That, the MMDAs should intensify public education
on the disease;

That, our churches should also do public education
on the disease during their worship service;

That, churches and other bodies should organize
frequent voluntary clean-up exercises to help keep
the environment clean;

Statutory Payments
That, government must honor its obligations of
paying statutory funds timeously;

That, the non-payment of statutory funds to the
National Health Insurance Authority, Ghana
Education Trust Fund, educational institutions,
among others is making life very uncomfortable for
most of our people;

That, government should quickly pay all
outstanding statutory payments, in order not to
destabilize the system;

That, government should ensure that payment of
statutory funds are not delayed and used for the
purposes they were collected;

Non-Violent Change
That, the current pursuant for change in some
political parties, homes, traditional communities
and organizations which has been characterized by
violence are inimical to personal and national
development;

That, we pursue the change we want in governance,
churches, political parties, family, community,
etc without violence;

That, change should be done on the principle of
dialogue, consensus building and the very
Constitution which governs us as either an
institution or a people;

That, we must ensure that we pursue change without
violence with the supreme interest of our family,
community, organization and nation at heart;

Strikes & Demonstrations
That, Ghanaians and labour have the right to
demonstrate against the worsening living standards
in the country;

That, excessive demonstrations could also
contribute to the worsening of our country’s
challenges;

That, government should proactively address the
concerns of labour to bring an end to the current
labour unrest across major sectors of our
economy;

That, government must take result oriented actions
to deal with the enormous challenges confronting
our people to bring an end to the current
demonstrations and strike actions we are
witnessing in the country;

Public Confidence
That, Ghanaians are fast losing confidence in
government because their needs and aspirations are
not being met;

That, the recent frequent demonstrations, labour
unrest and media reports about people committing
suicide-some in churches, are indications that our
people are losing confidence in their leaders;

That, government must take the necessary steps to
restore public confidence;

That, our leaders in church, chieftaincy
institutions, etc must support efforts at
restoring public confidence in the people they
lead;

That, our religious and traditional leaders should
actively show interest in national issues and
articulate the concerns of their people and
journey with them in finding solutions to the
numerous challenges that confront them;

That, commendation be given government,
traditional authorities, etc when due and
constructive criticism be made and accepted;

Responsible Mining
That, our economy cannot do without the mining
sector;

That, mining contributes significantly to
government’s revenue and Gross Domestic Product
(GDP);

That, government together with key stakeholders in
the sector must ensure the enforcement of
available mining laws in the country to ensure
responsible mining;

That, the Mineral Development Fund Bill which has
been pending at the Ministry of Lands and Natural
Resources should quickly be approved by Cabinet
and sent to Parliament for passage into law;

That, government and mining industries must put in
place the appropriate policies to ensure that the
livelihoods of people whose activities are
affected by mining are adequately compensated and
resettled;

That, traditional authorities and religious groups
must protect indigenes in these mining communities
by ensuring that mining companies do not undermine
their livelihoods such as farmlands and water, and
that they benefit sufficiently from the sector;

That, mining companies should ensure that their
Corporate Social Responsibilities are in line with
the needs and aspirations of the host
communities;

That, mining companies should develop a communal
relationship with their host communities and
ensure that mining enhances the socio-economic
development of those communities;

That, royalties paid to government be used in
mining communities for the people to enjoy the
benefits of their sacrifices;

That, government should not shirk its
responsibilities in the mining communities to the
mining companies due to their social
responsibilities;

That, government must ensure that it complies with
the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative,
the African Union’s African Mining Vision,
ECOWAS Directive on the Harmonization of Guiding
Principles and Policies in the Mining Sector of
West Africa;

Establishment of 200 SHS
That, government should partner with Religious
Bodies that have the track-record in educational
sector to establish the promised 200 community day
Senior High Schools;

That, government should enter into Public Private
Partnership with some of the religious bodies in
the construction of the schools;

That, government must ensure transparency and
accountability in the establishment of these
schools;

That, government should also work closely with
traditional leaders within the communities that
the schools will be sited;

Winner-Takes-All
That, the current Winner-Takes-All syndrome is
undermining our development and has become a
threat to our fledgling democracy;

That, Winner-Takes-All is divisive and does not
enhance active participation and consensus
building in nation building;

That, the ongoing Constitutional Review Process
must slow down to incorporate proposals from the
Institute of Economic Affairs and others on how to
address the Winner-Takes-All phenomenon;

That, Constitutional Review Commission must
consider the issue of entrenching into the
Constitution the establishment of an independent
National Development Commission to design and
shape Ghana’s desired future which will be a
national dream;

That, Metropolitan, Municipal and District
Assemblies Chief Executives must be elected by the
people;

That, the President must be willing to appoint
capable people outside his party onto Boards and
public institutions;

Our Commitment as a Council
That, we will continue to pray for the prosperity
and safety of mother Ghana;

That, we will continue to remain non-partisan and
play our prophetic role in public advocacy and
education;

That, we will continue to contribute to the
provision of quality education, healthcare and
shelter to the people of this country through our
various member churches;

That, we will continue to work with our brothers
and sisters from other faith such as Islam,
traditional religion, etc to develop Ghana;

That, we will continue to promote religious
harmonization for national cohesion and
development;

Finally, we encourage everyone with Psalm 46:1-3
which reads; “God is our refuge and strength, an
ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will
not fear, though the earth give way and the
mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though
its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake
with their surging.”

S.G.D
Rev. Dr. Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong
General Secretary

Source - Citifmonline

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