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Former Deputy Minister for Power, John Jinapor has cautioned religious leaders in the country not to compound the epidemic at Kumasi Academy with their prophetic and biblical connotations.

Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo, Mr. Jinapor expressed disgust over the character of some men of God who take opportunity about a situation to make themselves popular in the country.

Test results conducted by the Noguchi Memorial Center for Medical Research have disclosed the root cause of the multiple deaths at Kumasi Academy to be an influenza outbreak. Earlier on, there were speculations that the tragic outbreak was as a result meningitis but the institute quickly dismissed the claims.

Following the incident, the students have been receiving vaccines and antibiotics against the spread of the disease and to help remedy the situation.

But some religious leaders believe the spiritual aspect cannot be overlooked with others even giving prophecies about the cause of the disease.

This is why John Jinapor is pleading with the religious leaders not to “cash in” on the incident.

“This is not an opportunity to cash in on it. We beg you. When eclipse was happening, there were men of God who were giving all sorts of biblical quotations and interpretations to say that there would be no eclipse. Eventually, it has happened and gone. Somebody is sick and a man of God would be stepping on the patient’s belly in frantic effort to remove the disease. We plead with you. We know there is God," the former NDC Minister said.

He further advised them to allow the scientists and experts on the issue to work and resolve the situation medically.

"We all believe in God and we know God reveals to you (His Prophets). But in this instance, God has revealed to the scientists. God has disclosed in the laboratory and so, we plead with you, men of God; to allow the scientists to their job”, he stressed.