Only Pharisees and hypocrites would organise a prayer meeting and beam it on national television in the manner President Nana Akufo-Addo and the clergy did concerning the coronavirus situation in Ghana a few weeks ago, a founding member of the governing New Patriotic Party, Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe has said.

According to him, what the President and the clergy did is what hypocrites and Pharisees do.

“It’s a clear demonstration of hypocrisy”, the retired army man and medical doctor told Felicity Naana Nelson on Class FM’s Straight Talk programme recently, adding: “Look, I’m a Christian. I’m deeply involved in my church; I’m a Presbyterian. To be more precise, Osu Ebenezer Church. You’ve heard the word Pharisees and Sadducees. What they did is what Christ condemned years ago. It’s a display which probably would have been put up by the Pharisees”.

According to him, “We have problems, serious problems, practical problems. Even if you want these priests to go and pray, they can do it quietly, but projecting it to the public” that way was not the best.

“Have you seen any nation, so far, with people behaving like that? You’ve seen President Trump having the clergy in America around him? Do you see that in Britain; their Prime Minister doing that? Do you see that even in South Africa? But it’s typical Ghanaian attitude which has been endorsed by Akufo-Addo himself.

“I mean, what they did was so ridiculous. I’m a Christian, don’t think I’m not a Christian; I am a Christian through and through. I’m even more Christian than some of those priests there but what they did is a hallmark of hypocrisy; that’s not the way God listens to us. It tells you the mark of hypocrisy and how dangerous it is for this country”, he said.

Asked if he thought it was for political capital, he said: “…You have used the word political capital but this is even going to be a minus for him. I’ve been with Akufo-Addo for years; I don’t know who advises him; what sort of advisors are these? You get certain clergymen with cameras around?”

Remarks by the President at the prayer breakfast meeting with Christian leaders

I welcome all of you to Jubilee House, the seat of our nation’s presidency, and I express my sincerest gratitude to you for honouring this invitation.

Eminent Clergy, I, respectfully, asked for your presence for two reasons. All of us are aware of the havoc the Coronavirus pandemic is wreaking across the world. It is changing our very lives, as we know it, and is leaving in its wake deaths and economic difficulties, and is spreading fear and panic throughout the world.

The World Health Organisation tells us that some one hundred and eighty thousand (180,000) infections, and some seven thousand (7,000) deaths have been recorded from this pandemic. We also learnt, sadly, on Wednesday, that three (3) Ghanaians, living abroad, have lost their lives as a result.

With nine (9) confirmed cases of infections, we might count ourselves as being amongst the countries least hit by Coronavirus. Nonetheless, the rapid spread of the disease across the world has led us to institute a number of measures to help ensure that our nation is adequately prepared to combat the spread of the pandemic on our shores.

I made my first broadcast on the matter, in this regard, on Wednesday, 11th March. On Sunday, 15th March, in a second broadcast, I announced a raft of enhanced measures, which included the suspension of public gatherings such as, unfortunately, church services, to confront the pandemic. Prior to announcing this decision, I informed many of you around this table, and I was encouraged by the words of support offered. The aftermath of the announcement also saw a positive, overwhelming acceptance of the measures from all and sundry, including those I could not inform because of the exigencies of time. With the exception of that one incident, yesterday, in North Suntreso, in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, these measures have been adhered to.    

So, on behalf of Government and the people of Ghana, I want to put on record my deep appreciation to you and the entire Christian community across the country for this gesture of solidarity. I am hopeful that the State and the Church will continually find ways to collaborate for the good of Mother Ghana and for the improved welfare of the citizenry. I have also to put on record my equally deep appreciation of the support offered by the Muslim Clergy, led by the Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr. Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, the nation’s political leaders, traditional authorities, great and small, and opinion leaders, for the measures taken by Government.

Eminent Clergy, yes, we are screening all persons at our points of entry, with ineligible persons being refused entry; yes, we have designated quarantine, isolation and treatment centres for holding suspected cases; yes, we have suspended all public gatherings, including those at night clubs; yes, we have closed down all schools until further notice; yes, we have issued travel advisories; and, yes, we have urged all Ghanaians to observe prescribed social distancing and enhanced hygiene protocols, which, happily, they are doing.

But, as a Christian, a devout one at that, I know of the healing power and saving Grace of the Maker of Heaven and Earth, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, because in Him we live, move and have our being. The Words of Holy Scripture in Proverbs chapter nine (9), verse ten (10), tells us, and I quote, “those who know Your name trust in You, for You, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek You.” The Bible tells us, again, in 2nd Chronicles chapter seven (7), verse fourteen (14), that, and I quote, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” I am always a little bashful quoting the Bible in the presence of renowned priests, but, I take comfort in the fact that the one thing that unites all of us Christians is that the Bible belongs to each one of us.

These are not ordinary times, Eminent Clergy, and in such times, a country whose population is predominantly Christian, must seek the face of the One True God for healing and restoration. So, I, humbly, called you to this prayer meeting for us to join together and pray to Almighty God to protect our nation, heal this land and save us from this pandemic.

In so doing, we are also putting into practice the words of Holy Scripture in James chapter five (5), verses fourteen (14) and fifteen (15), and I quote, “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.”

I am confident that this morning’s prayer, which will be offered in faith, will heal our nation, and will help raise Ghana up. And, I believe profoundly that we, the Ghanaian people, with our faith in the Almighty, will overcome this challenge. This, too, will pass.

May God bless us all and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong.

I thank you for your attention.