Rt Rev Professor Emmanuel Martey
The outgoing Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Rt Rev Professor Emmanuel Martey, yesterday made a startling revelation of how a certain political party in the country tried to bribe him with a whopping $100,000 and a mansion at the plush Trasaaco Valley in Accra.
Even though he fell short of mentioning the name of the said political party, the man of God said he declined the offer which was intended to clip his mouth from commenting on issues affecting the nation as he has always done.
The Moderator’s revelation appears to confirm speculations that some ministers of the Gospel had been compromised with goodies such as V8 vehicles and houses in addition to police motorcades and bodyguards, making them turn blind eyes to the ills in the society.
This revelation comes at a time the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been busy with the sharing of freebies, including four wheel drives, to chiefs, outboard motors to fishermen, sewing machines to artisans and a gamut of gifts to the electorate in a bid to win votes.
Some have therefore sought to link the comments to the government.
Baby With Sharp Teeth
Rev Martey said such people who want to muzzle the voices of reverend ministers are nation wreckers and that the church would not allow evil spirit to control the country.
He denied being in bed with any political party, for which he had been insulted severally by the NDC activists who he described as “babies with sharp teeth” (courtesy Jerry John Rawlings).
“How can a full professor sell his conscience to one political party?” he stated, stressing that he would not be compromised by politicians.
“For me Osofo Martey, I will not keep quiet! These babies with sharp teeth. Yesterday [Monday], three numbers called to insult me… NDC,” he disclosed.
He further warned the NDC hierarchy, “What they are allowing their people to do, they are alienating their party from the good people of Ghana and it will not augur well for them.”
Offers
Speaking at a press conference in Accra yesterday where he presented a communiqué issued by the 16th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana held at Abetifi-Kwahu in the Eastern Region, Rt Rev Martey said, “Let me tell you why people do not want Professor Martey to talk; listen, they have tried [politicians/political parties] have all means to muzzle me, to get me but they can’t.” he vowed,
“They come with bribes, fat envelops; $100,000. Politicians came to my house with fat envelop, $100,000 (not cedis) and also with the promises that if you keep quiet we will give you a house at Trasaaco with swimming pool,” he revealed.
Apart from the cash and the house, he also indicated that they promised to give him four-wheel drive but he did not fall for the bait. He posited, “They couldn’t and I tell you they can’t and you know what, I will speak today, I will speak tomorrow.”
Dogs
Instead, the Moderator said, “These people were lucky. I did not have big dogs in my house else I would have released the dogs to bite them for the whole world to ask, ‘Oh Papa Moderator why are you so wicked?’ Then I will tell them, ‘ask what they came to do.’”
What, however, seemed to pain him the most was the fact that according to him, “…when my tax goes, you babies with sharp teeth, you are stealing the money and you don’t want us to talk,” but served notice, “We will talk today, we will talk tomorrow.”
He said, “I pay tax and some of them, they don’t pay tax…even the petrol allowance that is given me, I pay tax on each gallon.”
“You know the tax I pay, sometimes when my this thing [salary] comes and I see the tax that I pay, my heart beats but at the same time I say praise be the Lord we serve because it’s going to build our nation.”
Concern
In the course of his delivery, Professor Martey stressed the need for the church to be the vanguard of the spiritual and physical transformation of the nation.
“We need to move from the apparent decadent state characterized by unrestrained greed, dishonesty, corruption and injustice, into a well-developed nation whose citizens enjoy freedom and justice with all basic amenities in equal measure, regardless of tribe, ethnicity, gender, political affiliation, religion or language,” he emphasized.
Aside that he articulated, “The transformation we seek for this nation must be one devoid of hatred and strife. It must promote mutual respect and tolerance towards making service to the nation a noble cause, rather than a means to acquire illegal wealth.”
He urged, “Ghanaian leaders must be compassionate and transparent in all their endeavours. They must not be arrogant but courteous to all, primarily working for the good of the people.”
Prof. Martey entreated all people of faith to “join hands with other stakeholders to offer strong and purposeful leadership with courage to stand for, and do what is just and proper. Let us all cooperate to rid the country of all forms of corruption, apathy and mediocrity.”
By Charles Takyi-Boadu