A senior lecturer at Kumasi Technical University (KsTU), Dr. Samuel Afriyie, has strongly criticised the clergy participating in Ghana’s National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving, questioning their consistency and moral integrity.
Dr. Afriyie said the very pastors attending Tuesday’s event should be “ashamed of themselves,” especially given how many of them had opposed or distanced themselves from the controversial National Cathedral project under former President Akufo-Addo.
“These are the same pastors who vehemently criticised the National Cathedral. Today, they’re front and centre at a state prayer service. They should be praying for forgiveness instead,” he declared in an interview on Wontumi TV’s morning show,
The National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving, held at the forecourt of the State House in Accra on Tuesday, July 1, brought together Christian and Muslim leaders, politicians, and citizens to intercede for the nation.
The event was spearheaded by President John Dramani Mahama, who reinstated July 1 as a public holiday to serve both as Republic Day and a moment of national spiritual reflection.
But Dr. Afriyie believes the gesture is symbolic at best and hypocritical at worst.
Aside from his critique of the clergy, the KsTU lecturer took aim at some of the NDC’s policy proposals, including the much-touted 24-hour economy and the continuation of free SHS. According to him, these promises are largely unrealistic given Ghana’s current economic pressures and IMF obligations.
“Let’s be honest: under these financial conditions and IMF restrictions, how do you implement a full 24-hour economy? Where’s the clarity? Where’s the strategy?” he asked.
He was also dismissive of the “Reset Ghana” slogan frequently used by President Mahama, arguing that the phrase lacks substance when inflation and joblessness remain high.
“You don’t reset an economy with slogans. You reset with action, with fiscal discipline and productive policies, not just hopeful words,” he added.
