They will analyze political party impact on various facets of national life including the church, the three arms of government, the public and private sectors, the media, as well as on citizens and national development.

Advocates for Christ Ghana, (A4CG) conveners of this forum are confident that these discussions will elevate the standard of accountability imposed on political parties and appointees, enhance the quality of political party manifestos produced for the 2024 electoral season and contribute to influencing the voting population to participate in an evidence-based election 2024.

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Development Practitioner, Anti-Corruption Campaigner and Chairman of A4CG, Edem SENANU said “The National Christian Forum (NCF23) and its theme for 2023, charts a new and historic course by civil society to enhance the quality of our democratic experience in Ghana”. “There’s an emerging call for governments to begin engaging more strategically with religious and cultural leaders and constituencies to partner and champion certain targeted developmental and behavior changes”.

NCF is a step in that direction, creating the platform for such meaningful and sustainable dialogue to exist between our state and the church and that enables government tap into the rich human, intellectual and spiritual resources of the Christian community – who constitute 71.3% of the population; to shape the development agenda of the nation and also the deepen the responsiveness of the Christian community to its civic responsibilities as active development partners.”

The 2023 edition of the National Christian Forum, in its fourth year running, will focus on what has worked with respect to Political Parties impact on national development and what ought to be done differently going forward. The intent is to distill a set of recommendations for the attention and consideration of political parties that the organizers expect will reflect in political party manifestos, comments, commitments and actions as they engage the nation in 2024 and beyond.

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As part of preparations towards the upcoming NCF2023, a pre-forum webinar was held on Tuesday 14th November, 2023 with speakers such as: Prof. Karunti Kanyinga – Director of the Institute of Development Studies, Nairobi University, Dr. Esther Offei-Aboagye – former Director of the Institute of Local Government Studies – Ghana & Development Consultant, Dr. Oscar Otelle – Researcher and Lecturer – Nairobi University and Rev Dr John Kpikpi – Senior Pastor of the City of God Church.

They raised many critical issues including the following:

• On average, 75% of Africans agree or strongly agree that their leaders should be chosen through regular, open and honest elections. (Dr. Oscar Otelle, Nairobi University based on Afrobarometer Data)

• 80% of Ghanaians believe that elections in Ghana is able to remove non-performing leaders (Dr. Oscar Otelle, Nairobi University based on Afrobarometer Data)

• Data across the continent shows that democracy in Africa is not delivering the life that citizens want to experience. (Prof. Karunti Kanyinga, Nairobi University based on Afrobarometer Data)

• There has been a significant reduction in the data on levels of satisfaction with how democracy is working in Africa, over the last decade from about 50% satisfaction to an average of 39%. (Prof. Karunti Kanyinga, Nairobi University based on Afrobarometer Data)

• Key drivers of the increasing discontent are Government performance related to the economy, standards of living, Job creation, income gap and price stability. (Prof. Karunti Kanyinga, Nairobi University based on Afrobarometer Data)

• When asked – “Would you say that the country is going in the wrong direction or going in the right direction? Just 11% of Ghanaians said in the right direction. (Prof. Karunti Kanyinga, Nairobi University based on 2021/2023 Afrobarometer Data)

• God is speaking to the church in Ghana to step out of its cozy space and solve problems in society (Rev Dr John Kpikpi – Senior Pastor of the City of God Church)

• Christians should not be afraid to vote with their conscience (Dr. Esther Offei-Aboagye, former Director ILGS & Development Consultant)

The National Christian Forum 2023, starts this Thursday 16th November 6:30pm at the Action Chapel Spintex Road Accra and continues on Friday 17th November 2023 4:30pm @ the Ridge – Wesley Towers behind British Council and ends on Saturday 18th November 2023 9am @ Ridge Wesley Towers behind British Council.

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Renowned speakers and seasoned discussants include: Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana, Most Rev Dr. Paul Boafo, Professor Atsu Aryee of the Academy of Arts and Sciences, Senior Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church of Ghana Dr Fred Deegbe, Dr. Mrs. Angela Dwamena Aboagye, Mr George Prah – former President, Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship Int, Bernard Avle and many more! For further details on this release contact 0545477771 Or log on to www.advocatesforchristghana.com

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“If we have a society where there are no absolutes, soon there will be no law. Likewise, if every behaviour is shielded by Law, soon we would have no laws. So, we need to be careful when arguing about this because the matter on the floor [of parliament] is not about rights, it is about morality,” he said when the church presented six memos with more than 15,000 signatories in support of the Anti- LGBTQ+ bill to parliament on Wednesday, October 6, 2021.

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The Chairman said that The Church of Pentecost, with a membership of more than three million people, representing approximately 10 per cent of the nation’s population, is fully backing the bill and urged the lawmakers to pass it into law to safeguard the family values of the Ghanaian people.

Apostle Nyamekye cautioned that if the activities of LGBTQ+ are not criminalised, it would lead to acceptance of same-sex marriages in the future, which would have far-reaching consequences for the nation.

He advised the legislators not to base their arguments only on scientific facts but to understand that “the whole world is a sovereign state owned by a sovereign God,” and the Creator of the world reserves the right to determine how His creation should live. “It is not up to other creations to show us how we should live,” he added.

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The Chairman also urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to exercise his constitutional [executive] powers in helping to bring finality to this long-standing issue.
“As a church, our concern is not about today, but the future. When we allow the activities of LGBTQ+ it would lead to same-sex marriages, which the President has said would never happen under his watch,” he said.

He added: “However if the President allows LGBTQ+ activities to continue, although same-sex marriage may not happen under his watch as president it will happen after he is no more president of the nation. Rather, what he should do is to stop it. He should close the door where it matters, and we are saying it should be now.”

Apostle Nyamekye said that the church’s support for the bill should not be seen as a promotion of hate towards LGBTQ+ persons, but against their immoral activities. This is why, according to him, the PPHSRGF bill would not only criminalise the act but also offer reformative measures for persons with such sexual disorders.

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The Church of Pentecost, together with other Christian groups, presented to parliament separate memos in support of the passage of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill into law. The memos were received on behalf of the Committee of Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs by Mr. Owusu Mensah (Acting Deputy Clerk, Finance, Administration and Legal Affairs), who assured them that it would be submitted to the committee for consideration.

The ‘Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values’ Bill is a private members’ legislation laid before parliament by the Member of Parliament of Ningo Prampram, Hon. Samuel Nartey George, and six other legislators.

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The bill, among other things, seeks to criminalise LGBTQI+ activities in the country and proposes sanctions against groups and individuals who promote LGBTQI.

Since this presentation in August this year, the bill has received wide support from the Ghanaian population including Christian and Para-Christian bodies, the Muslim community, non-religious entities, traditional rulers, and opinion leaders in Ghana.

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