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Presiding Prelate of the Worldwide Word Ministries, Prophet John Anokye, says the Gender Minister’s statement against almsgiving may fail without an alternative source of livelihood.

According to him, the situation could be compounded even though Madam Otiko Afisah Djaba’s campaign is backed by the Beggars and Destitutes Act, 1969.

The Gender and Social Protection Minister, Otiko Afisah Djaba, has embarked on a campaign for the public to stop giving money to beggars on the street. She says those who do this are encouraging a bad practice which must end.

She said efforts are being rolled out by her Ministry to help empower such people to be able to take care of themselves.

Prophet John Anokye acknowledges that street begging “is a problem we will have to deal with as a country, but we need to be mindful that every beggar can be Jesus in disguise.”

“It is true there are beggars who are addicts but there are genuine ones who are going hungry with no safety net to rely on", he said in a release ahead of the second anniversary of the Worldwide Word Ministries.

“The Golden Rule in Luke 6:31 reads: ‘And as you would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.’ And Jesus Christ repeated this in His Sermon on the Mount when he taught believers to treat people the same way that they will want to be treated, which is in fulfillment of the ‘law and the prophets, (Matthew 7:12).”

“We will suggest that the Gender Ministry should liaise with the relevant institutions, both public and private, to find the safest way of helping people on a fundamental, holistic level so that people won't have to beg for alms on the street, as is the case currently", the statement advised.

The Worldwide Word Ministries, which was established in 2016, has outlined a series of activities as part of their 2nd anniversary celebration starting from Monday February 12 through to February 18, under the theme, “The Manifest Word”.

The activities include Street Evangelism: Win a Soul (Tuesday);

Act of Kindness (Wednesday, Morning); Light the World (Wednesday Evening - 6pm) at Ministry Office and The Manifest Word 6pm at Sunlodge Hotel (Thursday).

Other activities are Paradise Praise 6pm at Sunlodge Hotel (Friday); Word Championship @ Lizzy Sports Complex, East Legon at 11am (Saturday) as well as Sunday Morning's Grand Celebration Service.

Also known as The Hill City Church, Worldwide Word Ministries, Ghana branch, currently operates from the premises of the Sunlodge Hotel, Tesano, in Accra, with a branch at Hamilton, Canada, known as "The Faith City Church".

In addition to the John Anokye Ministries Inc., the church also has an outreach wing (Merimna Missions a.k.a I-Care Missions) whose mandate is to reach out to all widows, orphans and the needy with both material and spiritual