Should the Church Vote Christianly in Ghana's Upcoming Elections?

Clergy Urge Proactive Stance from Christian Community as Religious Tensions Rise

As Ghana prepares for the 2024 general elections, the Christian clergy is raising concerns about the rising religio-political undertones and urging the Christian community to be more proactive in safeguarding their religious heritage. With public statements from various political figures emphasizing the importance of Muslim leadership, Christian leaders are calling for a more deliberate approach from the church in deciding how to engage with the election.

Recently, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, a key presidential candidate, made bold statements during his campaign, pledging to open more doors for Muslims and Zongo dwellers if he is elected president. These promises have garnered significant attention within the Muslim community, with leaders like Abdul Aziz Haruna Futa, NPP National NASARA Coordinator, and Salam Mustapha, NPP National Youth Organizer, calling on Muslims to rally behind Dr. Bawumia, seeing the 2024 election as an opportunity for Muslims to "take over" leadership in the country.

Christian leaders are expressing concerns over what they see as a growing religious divide in the political landscape. They argue that while it is acceptable for Muslims to rally around one of their own, it has become controversial and even intolerant for Christians to advocate for a Christian candidate. According to these leaders, this imbalance reflects a broader societal trend where Christianity’s role in Ghana’s development is being downplayed, despite its foundational influence on education, healthcare, morality, and national identity.

The clergy warns that the Ghanaian church is displaying a dangerous level of spiritual apathy toward this rising tide. They draw parallels to biblical stories, such as that of Samson and the Philistines, suggesting that the church is at risk of losing its influence in the same way that ancient nations lost their heritage by failing to act decisively.

The media, celebrities, academia, and even some political and religious figures are increasingly promoting the narrative that it is time for Muslims to assume leadership in Ghana. The clergy warns that this narrative could have lasting implications on the Christian majority, should the church fail to act. They point to the Nigerian experience, where Christians now face violence, persecution, and the destruction of churches under Muslim leadership.

Christian leaders urge the church in Ghana to avoid the mistakes made by Nigerian Christians, who were politically passive, only to later find themselves marginalized and persecuted. They emphasize that there is no historical precedent for Christians thriving under a Muslim-led regime, and warn that a failure to vote with their Christian values in mind could lead to significant losses of religious freedom, national identity, and Christian cultural heritage.

The clergy's message to the Christian electorate is clear: to protect the Christian faith and its contributions to Ghanaian society, Christians must vote for candidates who will uphold and defend Christian values. They argue that the upcoming election is pivotal, and that the church must not shy away from defending its interests at the ballot box.

“If the church fails to wake up,” they warn, “the Bible will be replaced by the Qur'an, churches will be turned into mosques, and Christian values will be gradually eroded.” The clergy also highlights the growing pressure on Christian leaders to remain silent on these issues, fearing public ridicule or backlash from political and intellectual elites.

Rev. Emmanuel Boachie, Country Director of Awesome Bible College and Head Pastor of Souls' Pasture Church in Kumasi, underscores the urgency of the situation. He reminds Christians that the early missionaries who brought the gospel to Ghana faced persecution and martyrdom, and that the church today must not betray their sacrifices by failing to defend the faith.

“The blood of the martyrs is still the seed sown in the fields of Ghana, bearing fruit of eternal life,” Rev. Boachie said. “Let those with ears hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

The 2024 election is shaping up to be a defining moment for the Christian community in Ghana. As the political discourse increasingly takes on a religious dimension, the clergy is calling for a united and proactive Christian front. Whether or not the church chooses to act will have lasting implications not just for the upcoming election, but for the future of Christianity in Ghana. The question posed to the church is simple: will they protect their legacy or risk losing it forever?

God bless our homeland Ghana, and make our nation great and strong, bold to defend forever, the cause of freedom and of right.