Kwabena Adu Koranteng Writes
In a country where religion shapes public discourse as much as politics, the Mahama administration’s latest directive to prophets and charismatic churches has sent a strong, unmistakable signal: prophecy is no longer a free-for-all.
Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Head of Interfaith Denominations at the Jubilee House, minced no words when he called on religious leaders to submit their prophecies for scrutiny before making them public. His statement is a warning — that freedom of worship and speech does not grant anyone the license to unleash fear, destabilize communities, or exploit faith for political or personal gain.
Ghana’s prophetic culture has, for years, been a mix of genuine spiritual expression and outright sensationalism. Some prophecies have inspired hope; others have sparked panic, disrupted elections, and even incited violence. With the political temperature already high and the economy struggling, the government appears unwilling to let unverified “visions” trigger national instability.
But here lies the tension: who decides which prophecy passes the test? And what framework will ensure that such scrutiny does not become state censorship of religious belief? The Constitution protects freedom of religion, yet it also charges the state with safeguarding public order. The government’s challenge will be balancing those principles without tipping into authoritarianism.
For prophets, this may be a wake-up call to ground their declarations in responsibility and truth. For the public, it is a moment to demand accountability — not only from political leaders but also from spiritual ones.
