NDC tasks Church to dissociate itself from Bosomtwe Ayensu's comment
Church restates its commitment to being neutral at all times
Chief Executive Officer of the Intercity STC Coaches Limited, Nana Akomea, has tasked members of the National Democratic Congress to be circumspect in their use of language against persons who hold divergent views to theirs.
The former Member of Parliament stated on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme of May 10, 2022, that it was wrong for NDC members to be openly abusing a former Methodist Bishop for his views on the party's chances in the 2024 polls.
Stephen Richard Bosomtwe Ayensu, a former bishop of the Obuasi Diocese of the Methodist Church last week opined that former President Joh Dramani Mahama will not win the 2024 elections in his bid to repeal the Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy).
That pronouncement attracted harsh critique from NDC members in the media and on social media, but Akomea believes the comments should be done devoid of any insults.
"He (the former Bishop) has expressed his mind. As he's expressed his thoughts, not everybody will agree with him but you have to tell him that you don't agree with this elderly person on this or that grounds.
"You shouldn't insult him. When you look at a lot of the commentaries from the NDC, it's all pure insults. If someone is sharing his thoughts, why call him an NPP propagandist?"
He continued: "if you don't admit what he is saying, express your mind and tell why you don't agree with him but don't insult him. Call him names or say things like he's not a true Pastor. In fact, the utterances from the NDC leaders that I've heard are so dirty."
Bishop Ayensu’s views attracts clapback
John Dramani Mahama, during a recent public lecture, stated that the next National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration will abolish the E-Levy.
Whiles speaking to journalists at the Methodist Church’s 25th Synod at Mount Zion Methodist Church in Obuasi, the former Bishop stated that the promise by John Mahama to scrap the E-Levy was to influence Ghanaians to vote for him in 2024.
The clergyman also stressed his support for the tax handle and called on the citizenry to also accept it as a means of raising needed revenue for development.
The comments have attracted clapback from members of the NDC who have slammed the clergyman with others like Agbodza, calling on the Church to immediately dissociate itself from the said comments.
The Methodist Church has meanwhile dissociated itself from the views of the former Bishop stressing its neutral stance in the country's political discourse.
Nana Akomea