The Association of Pentecostal and Charismatic Clergy (APCC) have accused the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) of launching a sustained attack against the Church and its leaders.

In a press statement dated, August 4, the APCC claimed that “for almost 4 years, the church had faced stiff opposition from this government.”

According to them, the Akufo-Addo led government launched a vicious campaign against “almost every influential Man of God in this Nation” immediately after coming into office.

“Strange and unimaginable inquisitions of Reverend Ministers and Bishops were vigorously pursued. That was the initial attempt to seek to get ‘dirt’ of them and eventually use it as a point to blackmail them if they should dare speak up at any point,” the APCC statement read.

They claim that was only the beginning of several attacks against the Church aimed at stifling dissenting views from the Church and yoking the Church to do the bidding of the government.

“Fast forward, the current state of affairs points to an unwritten decree and rule in Ghana that no one, be you a professional in your field of endeavor or a Pastor, big or small, must say anything that disagrees with the government or the current ruling political class.

“This muzzling of free speech and opinion and a subtle attempt at censoring the Clergy must be resisted with righteous indignation,” they stated.

In the statement signed by the General Secretary of the Association Rev. John Armah, they further bemoaned the alleged “calculated state sponsored attack” on Bishop Charles Agyinasare.

“His offense was he dared to ask a question in one of his sermons about the supposed financial sector cleanup. He asked if nothing could have been done by government to prevent some of the now-defunct banks from collapsing.

“This he asked amongst other things. The government’s communication machinery descended heavily on him with unprintable insults, threats and attacks,” they said.

According to the APCC, the government’s tactics to silence the Church will not succeed and thus are calling on the government to halt the persecution of the Church.

They further called on all and sundry to stand up and speak up against the government’s persecution of the Church or face a more dire situation in the future.