Fr. Ebenezer Hanson’s open letter to President Elect John Dramani Mahama

Dear President Elect, I have seen a post attributed to you, inviting Ghanaians to fast and pray… I have also seen a video of you picking the microphone in a church on 31st December, leading in singing… I am sorry to say this: STOP playing bishops and pastors, and music ministers.

We know that it is our responsibility to pray and fast year in, year out for the country. In the Catholic Church, every prayer of the faithful (intercession) during Holy Mass has an intention for the state as Sts. Paul and Peter direct us to do as our contribution to nation building.

Ghana is crying because of false religious leaders. The Chinese and Americans who donate to us also have their own religions but they work with discipline. If there are people who tuned the citizens to choose who to vote for, it was journalists and political analysts. You know too well that identifying with charlatans were just to gain their listeners to vote for you.

Please, your predecessor used men of God to ruin the country, that is, to do what not even Chairman Rawlings could do: CHURCH TAX /LEVY. Oh yes, he did it subtly through the National Cathedral levy which they got churches and even religious bodies to pay huge sums of money for. You know the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral project…

Please, you claimed to be an experienced driver than your opponent, and that is true, STOP meddling in religious affairs and build the nation.

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Those religious leaders have eaten well enough into gluttony (see them cutting cakes and drinking up on social media) while the masses suffer in hunger and thirst. We expect that food should be in abundance by June or July to ease the pressure on parents and school administrators.

You can count on the Catholic Church when it comes to genuine prayer and fasting. Even the clergy you are calling on to fast and pray are also tasting bits of the economic hardships. Yours is just to LEAD US TO BE DISCIPLINED, HARD WORKING AND HONEST.

You cannot ask Ghanaians to fast and pray while you spend so much on your inaugural ceremony and independence celebration, occasions that call for huge spending by a few while the masses do not really benefit from. If we are broke as you people claim, GO SIMPLE… No poor family host birthday parties. If Ghana is that poor, plant for food and juice for future patties.

Finally, no country or an organization is built on fasting and prayers. God will not do for you what you can do for yourself. Hence, I quote a saint who said: “WORK, LIKE IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOU, AND PRAY, LIKE IT ALL DEPENDS ON GOD”.

Ghanaians need you to invite them to abundance of food and less charges on goods and services, they need security. They are already hungry so fasting may not be effective. We fast best out of abundance not hunger. They are angry so if they fast, they may suffer from ulcers due to the high dose of anger (acidity) which made them vote out the incumbent government with such a great gap.

As I said earlier, you can count on our prayers and some of us do as will continue to fast for Ghana. We count on your hard work to make Ghanaians happy.

Peace and Joy!