Ibrahim Irbad (sixth left) in a photograph with Father Blaise Attachie, Director of the Business and Faith Development Centre, and some youths of the Centre.
The Peace Ambassador for the December 7 general elections, Ibrahim Irbad, a security expert, has called on the clergy to speak against the ills among the political class in Ghana.
The Office of the National Chief Imam, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Christian Council should constructively point out the ills in Ghana’s governance, he said.
He made the call on Saturday in Accra at a youth forum on democracy and development organized by the Business and Faith Development Centre of the Catholic Institute of Business and Technology.
Speaking under the theme, ‘Securing the future: The Ghanaian Youth and Election 2016,’ Mr. Irbad explained that the criticism should be constructive, unbiased and strictly non-partisan.
Ghana, he said, was in complete mess economically because of mismanagement by the ruling class.
He said clergymen need to voice out their concerns to save the country from sinking further.
“Our leaders have virtually sold off everything: they are now selling off Accra,” he said.
“Prime areas of the capital,” according to Mr. Irbad, “now serve as hubs and offices for multinational companies, leading to the pushing out or gentrification of indigenous Ghanaians.
“With such puppetry and stoogery, it is a foregone conclusion that as a country and continent, my future and yours have been mortgaged for economic benefit of a section of the ruling class,” Mr. Irbad declared.
He warned that “clergymen should not be forced to shut up or fiddle while Rome burns.”
He contended that “shutting our pastors and Imams up would be a grave mistake that will deepen the culture of impunity among the political class.”
Making specific reference to the recent attacks on the outgoing Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Professor Emmanuel Martey by some gurus of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Irbad said it was unacceptable for members of the political class to ask the clergy not to comment on national issues.
Prof. Martey stated publicly that some politicians attempted to silence him with a amount of $100,000, plush house at Trassaaco Valley, among others.
Mr. Irbad said Prof. Martey does not deserve the kind of insults hurled at him by sympathizers of the NDC.
Telling clergymen to refrain from condemning the shortfalls of the political class amounts to driving God out of Ghana. Telling us to separate religion from the State is like asking us to adhere to the teachings of Bible and Quran in all matters, except governance.
“Jesus Christ was more than a spiritual leader, Prophet Mohammed was more than a spiritual leader. These were statesmen that laid the cornerstone of politics, good governance and societal harmony,” he said.
Youth tasked
Mr. Irbad appealed to the youth to help safeguard the future of Ghana.
“As young Ghanaians, if we can’t secure our nation’s resources because we can’t formulate policy or take decisions yet, there is a greater asset we can safeguard. Let’s jealously guard the peace and stability of this country before, during and after the elections in December,” he said.
“The future of this country of ours is not all about Ivor Greenstreet of the CPP, Edward Mahama of PNC, Akufo-Addo of the NPP, John Dramani Mahama of the NDC and Paa Kwesi Nduom of the PPP,” he told the youth.
By Melvin Tarlue