The Methodist Church Ghana, has dissociated the church from recent political comments made by the Bishop of the Obuasi Dioceses in the Ashanti Region, Rt Rev. Stephen Richard Bosomtwe-Ayensu, who dispenses more political talk, than his pastoral duties.
As usual, Rt Rev. Bosomtwe-Ayensu over the weekend took former president John Dramani Mahama to the cleaners for claiming he will repeal the controversial Electronic Levy also known as E-levy, if he wins the 2024 general elections.
He told journalists at the Methodist 25th Synod at Mount Zion Methodist Church that Mr Mahama was not going to win any election to repeal the E-levy.
His comment has infuriated the National Democratic Congress (NDC’s) Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South Constituency in the Upper East Region, Dr Clement Apaak, who has advised the Methodist Bishop to remove his cassock and join the political fray to be properly identified.
The Methodist Church Ghana has responded.
The Church in a statement, said the Presiding Bishop is the official spokesperson of the church and has, therefore, appealed to the media not to drag the name of the church into the alleged statements made by Rt Rev Bosomtwe-Ayensu.
The statement noted that the Methodist church continues to stay unaligned to any political party.
It added that members can make their individual comments as citizens of Ghana, but that cannot be taken as the official position of the church.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) immediately issued a statement in which it said, it had “become aware of an official Press Release issued by the Methodist Church Ghana in which the church has distanced itself from the conduct of one of its own, the Rt. Rev. Stephen R. Bosomtwe Ayensu, a past Methodist Bishop of the Obuasi Diocese.
“It would be recalled that only a few days ago, the same Rt. Rev. Stephen R. Bosomtwe Ayensu, launched an unprovoked attack on His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, over his recent pledge to ensure the immediate repeal of the unpopular E-levy law when the NDC assumes the reins of Government.
According to Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, the NDC General Secretary, “this latest attack forms part of a litany of vitriolic attacks launched by the same man against the National Democratic Congress and leading figures and functionaries of the party. One of such attacks for instance was his unfounded claim that Former President Mahama and the NDC would cancel the Free Senior High School policy in the event the party won the 2020 General Election.
“We wish to state that at no point did the party or its leadership assume that the church lent its support or endorsement whatsoever to the regrettable conduct of Rt. Rev. Bosomtwe Ayensu, who often took advantage of the noble platform offered him by the church to engage in scurrilous attacks on leading figures of the NDC as though he was on a political campaign platform.
“The NDC wishes to reaffirm its cordial working relationship with the Methodist Church of Ghana which has been a worthy partner in our democratic and developmental journey as a nation. Indeed, several leaders of the NDC have been and are still devout members of the Methodist Church. Notably, President John Evans Atta Mills and Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, both of blessed memory were members of the Methodist Church in good standing until their passing. Similarly, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang who is the immediate-past Running Mate to the Flagbearer of the NDC in the 2020 General Election is also a member of the Methodist Church.
“The party hereby assures the Methodist Church that we shall continue to hold the church in high esteem as a strong pillar of development in the areas of education, health, among others in our dear country, as we have trusted the church to remain a non-aligned stakeholder, a neutral arbiter and the moral compass of our society.
Below is the statement from the Methodist Church
PRESS RELEASE
Grace and Peace from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Our attention has been drawn to some media publications on some statements made by the Rt. Rev Stephen R. Bosomtwe Ayensu, a past Methodist Bishop of the Obuasi Diocese.
The said statement which was made during the 25th Annual Synod of the Obuasi Diocese sought to attack the position of His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, the former President of Ghana on the E-Levy
The Methodist Church Ghana wishes to notify the General Public that the Presiding Bishop is the official Spokesperson of the Church.
We therefore appeal to our noble friends of the Media not to draw the name of The Methodist Church Ghana into the alleged statements made by the past Bishop and currently the Superintendent Minister of the Amakom Circuit of the Kumasi Diocese.
The Methodist Church Ghana continues to stay unaligned to any political party. While Ministers and Members of the Church may make comments on their individual basis as fellow citizens of Ghana, that cannot be taken as the official position of the Church.
God bless us all.
