Seasoned journalist, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, has warned against politicising the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference President’s comments that the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has failed to protect the public purse.
The President’s statement has taken a political twist with the governing New Patriotic Party and opposition National Democratic Congress holding a heated debate over it.
Speaking at this year’s plenary assembly of the Association in Wa on Monday, November 8, the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Philip Naameh accused the government of aggravating the poverty situation of the populace.
“Though poverty stares us in the face, it appears lost to those with power. The expressed commitment of the President of the Republic to protect the public purse, a promise that citizens welcomed, seems to be an illusion now. Are those managing the public purse not concerned about waste and misapplication of resources that belong to all Ghanaians? Can this be referred to as irresponsible use of power or the lack of compassion and empathy?
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”Those who are entrusted with power that comes from our collective will must know that what they do with that (power) shapes what we all will become in the future,” he said.
Speaking on Peace FM, Mr Baako decried the direction that the issue is taking.
“It’s already become a political football. The political elements have taken charge of what these men of God have said and are now battling over it and the men of God, maybe, they should come back and be referees. It’s unfair.”
He called for dispassionate discussions of the matter, saying, “we can look at what they have said dispassionately and as I indicated, you can say all that they said was completely true or negative. You can say that. They said prices of goods are rising, isn’t it? It’s a fact. Is that not true? It’s true.”
He said: “2024, it won’t take one person or one organisation to determine how this country moves forward and who wins government.”
