The Chairman of the Christian Council of Ghana, Prof. Emmanuel Martey is prescribing for the nation to declare a state of mourning over the menace of corruption in the country.

He called for a sense of repentance among Ghanaians, particularly the Christian faith who constitute about 70% of the nation’s population.

Corruption has been roundly acknowledged as reaching a crisis point in the country with all the facets of the Ghanaian society, including the church which has seemingly abandoned its primary mandate of preaching faith and has embraced promoting wealthy lifestyle, being mired in corruption.

Right Reverend Martey who is also Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, was speaking on Joy FM's Sper Morning Show, Monday, on the widespread complaints of immoral, and flagrant abuses by persons professing to be religious leaders.

He said the Christian church is largely to blame for the country’s current woes. 

“The problem comes from those who describe themselves as religious people [christains]…there are charlatans in the church [and] there are thieves in the church,” he stated.

To him, the majority of the population [70%] which claims to be Christian- including all heads of states since independence- has failed the state.

He asked: “If Ghana is in the state in which we are now, do you tell me the less than 30% of non-Christians are responsible for that? It is not true!”

“We need a sense of repentance…Now the message of corruption is being sung everywhere; let everybody hear it and let us repent,” he said.

Right Rev. Martey also blamed the situation on some pastors whom he said are “placing much emphasis on wealth” through prophesies, “which shouldn’t be the case.” Many of such  prophesies he observed, are untrue.

“Since biblical time, we’ve had false prophesies and false prophets…Not all the churches [in Ghana] are of God…There are satanic churches in Ghana,” the outspoken religious leader stated.

Preying on people’s gullibility

In a related development, the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, Most Reverend Bishop Osei Bonsu, has accused the pastors of such churches considered ‘un-Godly’, of simply “preying on the gullibility of people”.

According to him, although it is not a crime for one to get rich, it becomes problematic where emphasis is placed on wealth.

“Those false prophets are preying on people’s gullibility and superstition,” he said.