The Christian Council of Ghana has pushed back against criticism over its public commentary on governance, insisting it will continue to speak on national issues without fear of political labelling.

Speaking on PM Express with Evans Mensah, General Secretary Rev. Cyril Fayose acknowledged the influence of religious leaders but rejected suggestions that this should silence them.

“Definitely so in Ghana, the Christian Council member churches are careful to be partisan,” he said, stressing, "They are non-partisan in their dealings with members of their congregations.”

His comments come amid ongoing public debate over the role of religious bodies in governance, especially as churches and faith-based organisations increasingly comment on economic hardship, elections, and leadership accountability.

Critics often argue that such interventions risk blurring the line between moral guidance and political alignment.

Rev. Fayose, however, maintained that the Council’s position is rooted in the diversity of its membership.

“Because the members of our congregations belong to all the parties, as a leader of people from diverse party affiliations, you must respect their sensibilities,” he said, adding that this requires caution in tone but not silence.

He stressed that non-partisanship does not mean disengagement.

“But that is not to say that we should not make comments on political happenings in our country without the fear that we will be branded as belonging to one party or the other,” he said.

“No, we have to say it as it is.”

According to him, the Council’s interventions are guided by a broader civic responsibility rather than political interest. He referenced Ghana’s democratic ideals, noting that citizens have a duty to participate in national discourse.

“We have described democracy in our local language as 'Kabi na menka bi', to wit 'Everyone must have their freedom of speech', so we all have the right to speak,” he said, reinforcing the Council’s stance that its voice is part of a healthy democratic culture.

Rev. Fayose also invoked a widely cited call to civic action. “Our former president is famously quoted as saying that we should be citizens and not spectators, and that’s all we are doing,” he stated.

He was emphatic that the Council is not aligning itself with any political group. “We are not going out to declare our support for a particular party or a particular party’s position,” he said.

Instead, he framed their role as constructive oversight. “We are out there to help comment on the actions of our leaders so that together, we’ll have a better country,” he added.