BY Daniel Bampoe
The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has dismissed recent “doom prophecies” predicting further tragedies for Ghana, insisting that such pronouncements will not deter the party’s leadership from taking bold decisions to reset the country.
Nketiah made the comments at the NDC headquarters in Accra when the leadership of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), led by General Secretary Justin Frimpong Kodua, paid a visit to commiserate with the NDC over the deaths of its members in the tragic August 6 helicopter crash.
The accident claimed the lives of eight people, including the Minister of Defence, Dr. Omane Boamah, and other senior government officials and military officers.
In recent days, several self-styled prophets have claimed they foresaw the crash and warned of more calamities ahead unless the government took unspecified spiritual measures.
President John Dramani Mahama, in response, directed his former Minister Elvis Afriyie Ankrah appointed as his Presidential Envoy for Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations to coordinate communications between religious leaders and national authorities on such matters.
The move followed complaints from some prophets, including the controversial televangelist Prophet Jedidiah Henry Kore, popularly known as “Fire Oja,” who alleged that they had been ignored when they warned of impending danger.
Addressing the gathering, Nketiah criticised these so-called prophecies, declaring:
“Even as we find answers in foreign religions, you’ve all heard about various prophecies—some of them claiming to play the role of God, and some threatening our leadership that more calamities are on the way to happen unless certain things are done.”
“My belief is that what will happen will happen. And we are not going to be cowed away from taking necessary decisions that will restore this country.”
He further stressed his confidence in the resilience of the NDC leadership and the support of traditional authorities:
“I know the way our chiefs are rallying around His Excellency the President, I know he will continue to be emboldened to take the right decisions that will reset this country—whether there are prophecies or no prophecies.”
Calling for national introspection in the wake of the tragedy, Asiedu Nketiah urged Ghanaians to focus on uncovering the root causes of the disaster rather than relying on mystical predictions.
“I want to urge all of us to use this moment as a solemn occasion to find out what went wrong.”
He also appealed to chiefs and traditional rulers to protect and promote Ghana’s cultural heritage.
“There is nothing shameful about our culture. Let us do honour to our culture. If as an individual you convert to any other religion, you have your freedom to practice your religion. This is the land of Ghana.”
The comments come amid heightened debate over the role of prophecy in national affairs, with some religious leaders defending their right to speak out on national security matters, while others call for stricter regulation to prevent public fear and panic.
