A Catholic priest, Reverend Father Louis Cecilia Adu-Poku serving in the Kumasi Archdiocese, has urged President John Dramani Mahama to listen to critical voices and take urgent steps to address what he describes as growing challenges confronting Ghana.
Rev. Fr. Adu Opoku said the country is “not going in the right direction”, citing illegal mining, the destruction of water bodies, uncontrolled development, poor road infrastructure and worsening traffic congestion.
He made the remarks while appealing to President Mahama, whom he described as a Christian, to surround himself with people who would speak the truth rather than those who only tell him what he wants to hear.
“Respectfully, give a listening ear to people who will tell you the truth. This nation, in all indications, is not going in the right direction. Those who are telling you that this nation is going in the right direction are telling you lies,” he said.
Rev. Fr. Adu Opoku drew an analogy from 1 Kings 22, where King Ahab received favourable prophecies from a group of prophets but rejected the contrary counsel of the prophet Micaiah.
He said the biblical account should serve as a lesson to leaders who ignore dissenting voices.
“In 1 Kings 22, some prophets, 40 of them, surrounded Ahab. They prophesied to him what he wanted to hear, but not the truth. There was only one dissenting voice. That prophet was called Micaiah,” he said.
He therefore urged President Mahama to pay attention to genuine criticism and distinguish it from advice intended merely to please him.
“Your Excellency, you are a Christian. Ghana is not a Christian country, but we have a Christian majority,” he said.
He also warned against what he described as attempts by “unseen hands” to influence the affairs of the country.
A key concern raised by the priest was illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, which he said continued to threaten Ghana’s water bodies and environment.
He reminded President Mahama of his commitment to tackling illegal mining and argued that the situation had worsened under his administration.
“You promised to stop galamsey within your first 100 days. We’ve gone beyond that. Forgive me if those were not the exact words. Galamsey has worsened under your tenure,” he said.
He also expressed concern about the attacks and insults directed at people who publicly criticise illegal mining and other national issues, particularly on social media.
According to him, such reactions could discourage citizens from speaking openly about issues affecting the country.
“It would be good for you to listen to these dissenting voices,” he said.
Rev. Fr. Adu Opoku described Ghana as “sick” and raised concerns about the destruction of natural resources and the rapid development of open spaces.
“My people, Ghana is sick. Our waters are being destroyed,” he said.
He said the increasing conversion of open spaces into shops and other commercial facilities raised questions about the kind of environment that would be left for future generations.
“Today, every little space is being developed into stores and shops. We don’t think about the unborn generation. Where would future children use as a playing ground? And nobody is thinking about them,” he said.
He called for greater consideration of the long-term impact of development on communities and the environment.
The priest also criticised the worsening traffic situation along the Kokoben stretch in Kumasi, saying the congestion is causing motorists to lose valuable working hours.
He said a journey that could ordinarily take about five minutes could now take more than an hour because of congestion.
“A road that we can construct so that we can use five minutes, now you could spend more than an hour, and we are losing business hours just in traffic on this stretch,” he said.
He questioned why the problem had not received adequate attention from authorities, particularly when politicians, ministers and other public officials also use the affected roads.
“Politicians, opinion leaders use this same stretch and nothing is being done about it. What is wrong with us?” he asked.
He also criticised political leaders for failing to replicate some of the infrastructure and road development they encounter when travelling outside the country.
“MPs are travelling, ministers are travelling. You see development and better road networks over there, but when you come back, you care less and leave ours in tatters,” he said.
Rev. Fr. Adu Opoku linked his concerns to the Catholic Church’s observance of September 1 as the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.
He said the occasion should remind Ghanaians of their responsibility to protect the environment and work towards a better future.
He also cited 2 Chronicles 7:14, which speaks about prayer, repentance and the healing of the land.
The priest assured President Mahama of continued prayers but urged him to use his time in office to make decisions that would serve the interests of the country.
“You have a few years to leave the scene. It’s either you allow God to make a name with you, or you disgrace yourself before you leave the scene,” he said.
“On our part, we are going to pray for you because God has chosen us to do that. It’s up to you, Your Excellency, to listen. Make the right decisions for the good of this country.”
By 1960news.com
