It appears the National Media Commission (NMC) is set on a collision course with some men of God following the former's release of 12 rules to guide all religious broadcasts on television, radio and social media.
On Wednesday, the NMC made public a set of rules it says are to ensure sanity within the media space as some religious broadcasters were infringing on the rights of certain groups of people through their broadcasts.
The rules, among other instructions, prohibits religious groups from broadcasting materials that cause fear and panic among the citizenry.
According to the commission, preachers must refine their messages, devoid of languages which are alien for broadcast purposes.
But the founder and leader of Glorious Word Power Ministry Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah has not taken kindly to the NMC guidelines, describing them as “bogus”.
“So if God has revealed to us what is about to happen as pastors should we keep mute on that? That guideline should be canceled, this won’t work here. Never!” The controversial prophet said in an interview with NEAT FM’s morning show ‘Ghana Montie’.
The 12 rule document released by the NMC comes at a time when the media space in the country has been taken over by religious bodies and so called “men of God” who are exploiting the vulnerable through “fake prophesies.”
The NMC in the document insisted that all religious broadcasts must appreciate the multi-cultural and diversity of religions within society, and must protect children and vulnerable persons from exploitation.
Per the document, “Religious broadcasts that contain manifestations within the healing, deliverance and prophetic ministry should be done with discretion, circumspection and respect for human dignity. This should be especially so in the case of children.”
Rev Owusu Bempah, nicknamed the ‘Nations Prophet’ and a close pal of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said he will do whatever it takes to make sure the guidelines by NMC are jettisoned with immediate effect.
“No pastor should go by these guidelines. If there’s some revelation, say it so we all pray to avert that. I [Owusu Bempah] will never aide by these rules. I will personally make sure that these rules are scrapped. NMC has no authority over the Bible,” he told host, Mac-Jerry Osei Agyeman.
Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Ambrose_wash
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@mcheew, keep turning it off, a time is coming you'll crave to hear the name Jesus from someone's lips but it might be too late. Not all ministers of the gospel are false prophets so listen to some of them.
And we wonder why this country is going backward. We are a christian nation and so what? In spite of all the charismatic pastors who call politicians their church members, there is still rot, still corruption, ***barred word*** and lies. What has this white man imposed religion done for Ghana? Nothing but stoke the ig norant minds into superstition and hype. If these so called healers had powers, why do we still have high infant mortality? Why are people dying at our hospitals of curable diseases? Think about it! If indeed you have been granted the power to heal by some deity it stands to reason that you should turn your church into a hospital and heal all the sick in the land! After all wouldn't that turn the minds of intellectuals like myself to believe in your ***barred word***? And yet we see none of that! So called prophets will give 1000 prophecies that won't come true. When 1 out of the thousand comes true then they claim they are powerful. Any id iot can make 1001 prophecies and get at least 1 right.
They can keep saying whatever they want. For me as soon as they come on the radio I just turn it right off.
It will not work because pastors in Ghana are arrogant and have no respect for rule of law. You for instance being a so called nation's prophet should lead the crusade but look at what you are saying. God will judge all of you one day.
God have mercy on this country. the whole system is rotten. all caused by politicians......
Prophet Owusu Bempah IS NOT a false prophet and HE IS RIGHT, albeit his response is a bit harsh. Did the NMC involve stakeholders in drafting these guidelines? I think some government officials traveled to Rwanda last year or early this year and discovered how they run the country and were impressed. Some of us were very impressed with that news as well but I was praying that the government will not rush or attempt to singlehandedly introduce the aspect involved in controlling Christian worship in that country in Ghana. The reason? There's a vast difference between Ghana and Rwanda when it comes to Christian worship. Rwanda is nowhere near the level and standard of Christan worship in Ghana although some false ministers and prophets are making things difficult nowadays. Orthodoxy, yes but I doubt if there are Pentecostalism and Charismatism in Rwanda. In that regard, Rwanda learns from Ghana if they choose to but not the other way round. Ghanaians especially Christians must thank and bless God for freedom of worship in the country, any attempt by government or any institution to gag freedom of worship will deal a serious blow to the country and therefore government must tread cautiously in that regard. I think past governments, even military regimes have respected freedom of worship in the country and it's a blessing. You want to gag the church? You dealing with God here not man so be careful!
BOGUS PASTORS SHOULD BE ERADICATED FROM THE RELIGIOUS CIRCLE.THEY ALIGN THEMSELVES TO POLITICAL PARTIES AND SPEW GARBAGE AND USE THE NAME OF GOD TO JUSTIFIES THEIR LIES.WHO MADE THIS OWUSU PEMPAH THE PROPHET OF GHANA? AKUFFO ADDO? IS OWUSU PEMPAH THE ONLY PERSON GOD SPEAKS TO IN GHANA? THE MEDIA COMMISSION MUST BE BOLD AND BAN THESE BOGUS PASTORS. THEY ARE A DISGRACE TO THE MOTHERLAND. HAVE WE FORGOTTEN WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL THE COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD IN GHANA WHO WATCHES WHAT WE SHOW ON NATIONAL TELEVISION? THESE FAKE PASTORS MUST ALL BE BANNED.THE GOVERNMENT MUST BE BOLD JUST AS THE PRESIDENT OF RWANDA.
@AKOS. YOU DON'T NEED A CLASSROOM CERTIFICATE TO HEAR FROM GOD. BRING A BETTER ARGUMENT. THE APOSTLES OF JESUS WERE CONSIDERED ILLITERATES BY YOUR LIKE IN THOSE DAYS BUT THEY TURNED THE THEN WORLD UPSIDE DOWN WITH THE POWER OF GOD. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH OWUSU BEMPAH, SAY SO BUT DON'T BRING BOOK KNOWLEDGE INTO SPIRITUAL THINGS. IF WE WERE IN NOAH'S DAYS, HE WOULD HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR CAUSING FEAR AND PANIC WHEN HE WARNED THAT GOD WAS GOING TO DESTROY THE WORLD WITH WATER. IT IS NOT EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN LEGISLATE ON, ESPECIALLY SOME SPIRITUAL THINGS. LET'S BE VERY CAREFUL IN HOW WE DEAL WITH FAKE PROPHETS.
WHO GAVE HIM THAT TITLE NATION PROPHET? HE DOES NOT DESERVE THAT. WHO DOES HE THINKS HE IS? HE THINKS HE GIVES ***barred word*** HORNS TO PRESIDENT AKUFFU ADDO SO HE HAS GROWN HORNS TO DECTATE TO THIS NATION. HE IS TOO PROUD AND FULL OF HIMSELF. I DONT BLAME HIM HE HAS MADE MONEY OUT OF THE CHURCH THROUGH THE POOR MEMBERS.
But is he a Pastor? what is his level of education? No wonder he does not understand anything and has attached himself to a political party for fame.