No matter how big the problem, it is never too late to run away – Brian Bilston
Remind us not that the news of the death of Maabang-born COP retired Owusu Fordjour shook us to the bones. How could we share ideas — political, legal, educational, social — over bottles of beer (no cigarettes for us, though) at his Cantonments residence. Or a snap chat with his “boys” at his holy village at Maabang where the boys would pluck fresh oranges from his orchard… on our return from Goaso court, there would be plantain… all the while we would be chatting… We remember it all — he played his role as a police officer, a lawyer, a minister of state. Do we need to say: we will miss him?. A drop of tears… oh, death, how canst thou be so wicked! President Kufuor, Prempeh College mate, salute Haruna Iddrisu, salute. Too sad to be there.
And a lady congregant at the Methodist Wesley Cathedral in Sunyani would dare confront a minister for daring to say: “If you refuse to pay tithe, you are an armed robber… three types of ‘krono-bo’: stealing, burglary, armed robbery, and if you don’t pay tithe you are doing armed robbery…” so says Very Reverend Solomon Bruce. Then, Maame Frema couldn’t swallow the charge: “…if it comes to armed robbery, it is you (the minister), the bishops, church elders who are armed robbers, you don’t return our gestures in equal measure to what we contribute.” (paraphrased)
Confrontational? What didn’t John Wesley (1703–1791) do to the Church of England, (Anglican) together with his brother John Wesley and George Whitefield. They preached the “methodical” approach to faith with an emphasis on holiness, personal piety and social action. They only sought to see a reform in the church. “Reform” the church but their actions led to a movement that broke away. The trio dared to challenge the doctrine of “pre-destination” (the belief that God has determined from eternity whom he will save and those he will damn).
The Sunyani drama led us to survey the present Christian environment. We looked at the yet-to-be-launched book “Holy Pickpockets Looting in the Vineyard of God (How preachers harvest souls, tithes, and tomatoes)” by the prolific Catholic Church-mate write (St Paul’s, Amakom) Dr. Thomas Agyarko Poku. He writes: “If you keep your first fruit, you are robbing God.”
Another preacher explains: “If you keep your first fruit, you are robbing God. But if you give it, you secure the harvest of the whole year.”
The congregation nods, though deep inside, some wonder why God, who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, would be so desperate for their January salary. Still, no one asks questions, because in the vineyard, doubt is sin and silence is safety…
The Methodist Church in Ghana has reacted in a Christian-like manner to the Sunyani episode:
“…the Methodist Church in Ghana, through its appropriate agents, has extended love and compassion to a member seen in a viral video in exchange with a minister over tithing. It’s an old story (February 2026)… We thank God for the maturity demonstrated by the minister in not continuing the exchanges, and we are grateful to the member for her apology…
Mama, our love for you is unconditional. It is the gracious forgiveness of Jesus that keeps us all. Blessings.”
Then, we review our political search and ask “Can the centre hold?” We look at the philosophy in the poem, “The Second Coming” by W.B. Yeats (1919):
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre, The falcon cannot hear the falconer; Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world; The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere. The ceremony of innocence is drowned; The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity…”
We do not and cannot be diplomatic or sycophantic. We ask what is happening in NPP? What is the Base Movement of Ghana about? Is it “adankodaadaaadoe?” What are the respective roles of Agyapong and Kwasi Kwarteng? Are they both touting Kennedy Agyapong’s doctrine? Kennedy appears to be non-committal.
An office at Tesano… T-shirt: eagle, the Base it is a vehicle for solving unemployment, contribute to solving the problem of corruption… They are organising first and afterwards, approach Kennedy to lead them.
Kwasi Kwarteng, the spokesman for Kennedy Agyapong says Kennedy has no dealings with the Base. Is Shaibu right in insisting that the Base was formed in 2023? Lawyer John Agoteye… like other disgruntled NPP members are complaining. The Base is a calling…
Nana Bonsu says he wants to see the noble ideas and approaches of Kennedy Agyapong get an everlasting hold on Ghana.
Agradaa is still trending. She (and her husband, Asiama) went to the Nsawam prisons — specifically to the Female Ward to offer a donation of GH₵10,100 to the inmates. It was a gesture that demonstrates her gratitude to God for getting her out of the dungeon.
This week saw the inauguration of the ambulance tricycles called the “modified tricycle ambulance (MTA)” or the “aboboya ambulance”. In 2025, the Catholic Relief Services handed over 20 units to various municipalities in Northern Ghana, including Sissala. The question is, how safe are these vehicles in transporting patients?
The Foreign Affairs Minister, Okudzeto Ablakwa’s words may be soothing… You can be right in saying that the new (or younger) generation of South Africans do not know the role of Africa, particularly Ghana, in championing their struggle against apartheid and for independence. Where is African Union when South African citizens engage in xenophobic attacks.
Why anti-immigration? Sacking non-South African patients from a hospital. For a South African woman to tell a Ghanaian: “Fix your country; we don’t want you here!” Is it the fear of non-South Africans taking their jobs and taking their girls? When we were young, we were told to contribute to the liberation of South Africa; we did that zealously: contributing our petty pesewas and cedis, forming groups, debating issues aimed at encouraging the struggles of the freedom fighters.
We know the story of South Africa. Why did Nelson Mandela divorce Winnie after being released from prison? For flirting with Dali Mpofu?
Nelson had divorced his first wife Evelyn Mase, and Winnie sustained the marriage during the 27-year imprisonment on Robben Island, boldly defying the white settlers to fight for independence.
For more news, join The Chronicle Newspaper channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBSs55E50UqNPvSOm2z
