Catholic Bishops' Statement Probably Distorted, Until I Hear Their President's Voice - Kweku Baako

Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, has asked Ghanaians to cut the Catholic Bishops some slack over their remarks about the economy and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's governance style.

He opined that the statement by the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference, Most Rev. Philip Naameh, may have been distorted as nowhere in the plenary report presented by the Bishops is written what has been attributed to him.

To Kweku Baako, until an audio of Most Rev. Philip Naameh making such statements emerges, it is only prudent that he will be given the benefit of the doubt.

Speaking on Peace FM's morning show ''Kokrokoo'', Mr. Baako stated he is prepared ''to give him benefit of the doubt that it may be one more of those distortions that people throw unless I hear his voice confirming he said it . . . Because of who they are and what they are, they have a way they communicate and, in fact, that way is even more effective in terms of who you're directing the message to and also the larger population that they want to help . . . .So, I would hope that they would keep to that tradition".

However, on the Bishops' Conference claims that President Akufo-Addo's promise to protect public purse is an illusion, the seasoned journalist replied; ''I don't think there is anybody in this country . . . who will say we have fought and defeated corruption. I don't think so. We are making efforts. Whilst we're making efforts, new challenges emerge."

Catholic Bishops' Remarks

Delivering a speech at the 2021 plenary assembly of the Association in Wa on Monday, November 8, the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference, Most Rev. Philip Naameh is reported to have accused the government of ignoring the plight of Ghanaians.

He said; “Though poverty stares us in the face, it appears lost to those with power. The expressed commitment of the President of the Republic to protect the public purse, a promise that citizens welcomed, seems to be an illusion now.''

"Are those managing the public purse not concerned about waste and misapplication of resources that belong to all Ghanaians? Can this be referred to as irresponsible use of power or the lack of compassion and empathy?'', he questioned and cautioned the President and his goverment officials to note that ''those who are entrusted with power that comes from our collective will must know that what they do with that (power) shapes what we all will become in the future".