While several groups and individuals are advocating for more stringent measures to curb the spread of the Novel Coronavirus in the country, Presiding Archbishop and General Overseer of the Action Chapel International Ministry, Nicholas Duncan-Williams is of the strong conviction that the time is ripe for government to go easy on religious activities.
Arch Bishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams believes there is something rather special about the gathering of two or more people in prayer; which can eventually cause some major changes in Ghana’s coronavirus numbers.
He said while government has looked at the bigger picture of disallowing all social gatherings particularly religious activities, it may only be prudent to give way for aggressive and violent prayer intercession to arrest the virus.
This in his estimation, means that government would have to allow smaller groups of religious people across the country meet and intercede on behalf of the country.
In an interaction with Paul Adom-Otchere on Good Evening Ghana, on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, Arch Bishop Duncan-Williams quoted Hebrews 10:25 to buttress his point, he read, “ ‘do not exempt yourself or do not stay away from the assembling of yourselves together…especially as you see the day of the Lord approaching’…there’s something about the gathering of believers and I’m not talking about thousands…no, I’m saying that we should look at this very carefully because they’re so many activities going on all over the place…”
He continued, “…and believers should be allowed in every community across the nations of the world and in Ghana here, to meet two, three times a day to pray and I’m saying small groups here like five here, ten here, fifteen here, twenty here all over the country…”
However, he was quick to add that such gatherings would not follow the usual church routines and in fact, not even collections or tithes will be taken at prayer meetings.
“No, no, no, to pray and arrest the situation…,” was his answer to the idea of any monetary obligations being fulfilled by members of such gatherings.
Recounting days of the Ebola outbreak in some neighbouring countries, he said such proactive and aggressive prayer intercessions in the country by religious leaders safeguarded the country against the disease.
“…I’m talking about aggressive violent intercession like we did when Ebola came…” he said. President Nana Akufo-Addo, in his ninth update on COVID-19 on Sunday, May 10, 2020, extended the ban on public gatherings till the end of the month, 31st May.
This also means that churches will remain closed until the said date.
But some ‘men of God’ are not enthused about the directive of the President. One of such religious leaders is the founder of Life Assembly Worship Centre and Presidential candidate for the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), Rev. Christian Kwabena Andrews, popularly known as Osofo Kyiri Abosom, who has issued a warning to President Nana Akufo-Addo and his government.
Arch Bishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams