By Eric Appah Marfo
Accra, Feb. 23, GNA — The Reverend Professor J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, President, Trinity Theological Seminary, says prayer alone is not enough to “miraculously” bring Ghana out of its economic quagmires.
He said prayer should be backed by time-tested pragmatic solutions suitable for developing economies like Ghana and by this, the Cedi will receive “healing”.
“God answers prayer. He even tells us, ‘Call on me in the day of trouble. I will deliver you and you will glorify me.’ The promise of God stands but it has never been a substitute for deliberate, systematic and scientific approaches to solving modern economic problems.”
“That means no matter how religious we may claim to be or no matter how forceful or authoritative our prayer language may be, with a thriving black market for international currencies and the dollarisation of the economy even among churches, not to talk about corrupt practices and underhand dealings, it does not look like we are serious about healing for the currency,” he said.
Rev. Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu made the comments whilst delivering the final lecture of a three-day J.B Danquah Memorial Lectures (Series 56), in Accra.
The Lecture was on the broad theme: “African Politics and the Mystical Realm: Religion and Governance in PostColonial Ghana.”
Rev. Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu spoke on the subtitle: “Healing Our Currency: Prayer, the Cedi, and the Quagmire of Prosperity in Contemporary Ghana.”
He said Ghana’s currency could be “healed”, however, it was everyone’s responsibility to turn from evil towards the “God of light.”
Rev. Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu reflected on a popular prayer made by Ghanaian Pastor in 2014, commanding the Cedi to rise—a prayer that sparked heated discussions on the relationship between the mystical world and a country’s economy.
He said the same God who asked His children to call upon Him in the day of trouble also admonished them to learn the ways of the ant for the growth of their societies.
Rev. Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu quoted from Proverbs 6:6-11 which says, “Go to the ant you lazy bones, consider its ways and be wise. Without having any chief or officer or ruler, it prepares its food in summer and gathers its sustenance in harvest. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest and poverty will come upon you like a robber and want like an armed warrior.”
He said the economic and political environment of Africa had been unpredictable for generations and despite various reforms, the continent did not seem to be making the desired progress.
Rev. Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu bemoaned the practice of people being quick to connect every problem to the supernatural.
He said there was even a widespread belief that humans who caused problems by mismanaging public offices for personal gains could be doing so through the influence of demonic powers that sought to bring them to shame or cause suffering to the populace.
Rev. Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu said Ghana had come to a point where state sponsored prayer meetings and services linked to important events on the national calendar had been organised.
He said such activities could sometimes make political figures feel vulnerable due to the fear of supernatural influence in their lives and offices.
GNA