By Kofi Banzana
APOSTLE KOFI Nkansah-Sarkodie, General Overseer of Open Arms Ministries in Kumasi has petitioned the National Media Commission (NMC) against alleged raw deal being handed to him by the management of OTEC Fm, a local radio station in Kumasi.
The petition dated October 1, 2014 and filed at the Kumasi office of the NMC called for the Commission’s intervention for redress.
Apostle Kofi Nkansah-Sarkodie, who is also known as Brother Sark stated that over the years since 2011 he had been evangelizing on OTEC fm in a programme dubbed “BRA MA YENKO HEAVEN” between the hours of 1.30 p.m. and 2 p.m. every other Sunday.
The veteran broadcaster explained that in May this year, he started a series of topics over a period of six weeks regarding the Jehovah Witness (JW) sect and its anti Christ stance to the effect that the JW sect is not part of Christianity because it does not believe in the core doctrines of Christianity.
Apostle Nkansah-Sarkodie, had further explained that JW does not believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ and pointed to the fact that JW was founded by an individual, one Charles Russel who rewrote the Bible to suit his whims and caprices.
The complainant also raised concern about the activities of JW which he believed had been banned in Ghana since the PNDC era.
According to the petitioner, a letter purported to have been issued by the management of OTEC and signed by one Kate Freeman Adomako as Head of programmes, has since June 29, 2014, banned him from preaching on its network contrary to agreement.
He said the said letter had further asked him to render an unqualified apology to management of OTEC, listeners of the radio and JW or risk being taken off air.
But Brother Sark says management of OTEC fm had not been fair to him because it had not given him the chance to react to the query and yet had banned him even though he is not aware of any official complaint by the JW which to the best of his knowledge has been banned in Ghana.
Apostle Nkansah-Sarkodie rubbished the claim by the management of the radio station that he (Apostle) had made unsubstantiated allegations against the JW sect as he had defended his position with scriptures from the bible.
He said the action of the management of OTEC was against natural justice since he had not been given any hearing to what they claim to be unsubstantiated allegations besides the contractual agreement.
The pastor expressed surprise at the unfortunate position taken by the management of the radio station saying over the years, his teachings, based on his position on the JW controversy had been expressed on other local radio networks and published in the local newspapers without any complaints, objection or reaction from the JW sect at the local, national or international levels.
“From the current development, some of my cherished listeners are inclined to believe that the management of OTEC has been influenced hence their harsh stance against my programme’, the petitioner noted.
Apostle Sarkodie-Nkansah has therefore appealed to the NMC to intervene in view of the unjust demands by the station, injustice and raw deal being meted out to him to ensure fair play and social justice in the matter.
