Tuesday, July 1st, 2025, was Ghana’s first “NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING.” It was a very uplifting ceremony full of gratitude and exhortation.
President John Mahama thanked God on our behalf for all the blessings bestowed on us through the years, underlying the false pride of our leaders with the powerful story of the donkey, stressing that our good fortune has been the result of divine providence rather than policy.
Cardinal Turkson asked us, as Jeremiah did the Israelites, to “stand at the crossroads, look at the ancient paths, look at the good way, and follow it” with the promise of “finding rest for your souls.”
He pointed out that we had our own “tragedy of the commons”, manifesting in our polluted rivers, deformed babies, and culture of greed.
He urged us not to strive for the pursuit of wealth but the “flourishing of all our children,” leading to the building of a “more compassionate and unified country.”
The Cardinal’s call dovetailed nicely into the President’s call for virtuous action, invoking the James 2:17 message that faith must come with action.
Sadly, despite our overwhelming professions of faith and filling our places of worship, our deeds have not matched our words.
Our society is filled with greed, corruption, and all the vices that drew the wrath of God on Sodom and Gomorrah, and Ephraim Amu warned us against in his stirring song, “Yen Ara Asase Ni”.
But we have not always been like this. There was a time when if a daughter was dropped at home by an unknown man with a flashy car, her parents would have asked, “Who is this man? What does he do? And which family is he from?”
And if she said he was a businessman, they would have wanted to know what kind of business he did. Families wanted their daughters to associate with good moral men, regardless of wealth.
There was a time when if a young politician, only a few years in office, showed up at the Ahenfie to donate a loaded SUV as a gift to the Omanhene, which was clearly beyond his means, he would be asked some uncomfortable questions.
That is no more. There was a time when our religious leaders spoke truth to power and routinely called out our errant leaders.
In those days, our clergy would never have been silent while our government spent millions of dollars digging a hole in the ground they called a cathedral to honour God while our children schooled under trees.
There was a time when our leading professionals and associations called out our governments for their bull instead of cheering them on.
And our history is replete with virtuous people and actions: the Aborigines Rights Protection Society that prevented the British crown from taking our lands. Nkrumah, who gave back Peduase Lodge and died penniless.
The brave judges who freed Adamafio and others after Kulungugu. The NLC forced General Ankrah to resign for corruption.
Justice, who refused to rig an election and resigned instead. — The brave professionals and students who brought the Fourth Republic by confronting the Rawlings dictatorship.
We must return to the virtuous citizenship the President called for. To begin the accountability you called for, Mr. President, let me ask you a few questions, respectfully.
First, does the regional and ethnic composition of your cabinet reflect the diversity of our country? Second, why did you pack the Supreme Court after opposing NADAA’s effort to do the same? Is this virtuous leadership?
Third, have you heard of the confiscated excavators missing in the Galamsey fight? Is this galamsey fight real? Our motto is “Freedom and Justice,” and there is too much freedom to be corrupt, to show impunity, and to harm Ghana and our fellow citizens.
It is time for justice. There must be more compassion for the poor who get stiff sentences and are excluded from services without paying bribes, and there must be more accountability for the thieves of state who are fleecing Ghana. The “Fama Nyame” is too much.
Let there be justice. After all, it was Jesus who took a whip to the money changers who were desecrating the temple. Otherwise, Mr. President, the peace you extolled may be a mirage. Long live Ghana.
