A clique of preachers are livid at the government for banning public gathering including church congregations following official confirmation that the deadly coronavirus (Covid-19) had breached Ghana’s borders and has so far infected six people.
This protest by the Christian preachers has been described as a “shameless” display of insensitivity to the threat posed by Covid-19 on unsuspecting Ghanaians.
Following the outbreak of human-to-human transmitted coronavirus (Covid-19) and the threat it poses to Ghana, President Akufo Addo ordered the ban on all forms of public gatherings and events that exceeded more than 25 people, affecting religious gatherings.
However, leading the charge of preachers curiously asking for a relaxation of the ban is Rev. Steve Wengham of the Cedar Mountain Chapel, East Legon and Dr. Lawrence Tetteh of the Worldwide Miracle Outreach.
In his argument, Rev. Wengham believes a ban on church activities will affect church finances. “It’s going to affect us seriously because how are we going to pay the bills?” Rev Wengham lamented in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM.
In a more nuanced argument, Dr Lawrence Tetteh claims the government should allow religious groups to converge so that their leaders can easily sensitize them about Covid-19.
“…We have to get a place where we can get church leaders to sensitise their followers and the congregation. Instead of closing the churches, mosques for now, which for us as a nation is the best medium where we can get the information across, he should rather sensitise our congregation, get our mindset transformed and get a broadminded approach to this thing,” he said in an interview with online news portal-Ghanaweb
But critics think their central motivation for this call to relax the ban is mainly monetary in nature as it will be difficult to extract tithes and offerings from their teeming members from home.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Ghana Private Road and Transport Union (GPRTU), Kwame Kuma, has warned that the union will not allow the characteristic random preaching in commercial vehicles by religious zealots.
According to him, while preaching atop their voices, there are the occasional incidence of spittle escaping the excited mouths of the preachers and unexpectedly settling passengers.
Fluids from the mouth is known as a very potent source of Covid-19 transmission.