The General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rev. Cyril Fayose, has called for stronger government action following the controversy involving the CEO of the Ghana Free Zones Authority.

He insists that apologies alone will not suffice.

Speaking on PM Express on Joy News Tuesday, Rev. Fayose said while the Church believes in grace and forgiveness, the situation demands a firmer response to protect public standards and respect for institutions.

The issue stems from remarks by Free Zones CEO, Mary Awusi, directed at the Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, Apostle Dr Eric Nyamekye, over his comments on illegal mining, aka galamsey.

The comments triggered public backlash, prompting apologies from both the CEO and the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, who expressed regret and clarified that no disrespect was intended.

Rev. Fayose acknowledged the importance of forgiveness but stressed that the matter should not end there.

“Yes, I wanted to say that as clergy and ministers of God, we are people of grace and mercy. So we give second chances to people, and we see some of these things as learning processes,” he said.

He, however, aligned with calls for a tougher stance, adding, “I will agree with Richard Ahiagbah… that we must go a little beyond just a public apology, we must make a very strong statement about the issue.”

According to him, the government must clearly distance itself from the conduct in question to send a strong signal to public officials.

“The government must dissociate itself from such conduct, and even if there might be a strong reprimand, without going to the extent of taking away her current position… I’m sure by now she has learned her lessons,” he stated.

Pressed on whether the Chief of Staff’s apology was sufficient, Rev. Fayose was unequivocal.

“Yes, I agree with that. In addition to the apologies, we need a statement from the government to itself, telling them that certain things are just wrong… Short of that, then we will think that the public apology is just something for the cameras.”

He also cautioned against generalising the actions of a few individuals to the broader religious community.

“And then I also want to say that sometimes we bunch all the religious leaders together… There are a few bad nuts… maybe about one to 5% of us cause a lot of problems,” he noted.

Rev. Fayose urged both church and state authorities to hold individuals accountable where necessary.

“So I think it’s important that we single out the bad ones amongst us and call them to order, both at church and at State,” he said.

His comments add to growing calls for accountability and clearer standards of conduct in public discourse, as debate continues over respect, free expression, and responsibility in Ghana’s democratic space.