Pastor John urges President John to be like late John

Pastor John Watson

Founder and Leader of Vinesong, Pastor John Watson has urged President John Dramani Mahama to emulate the Christian values of the late President John Evans Atta Mills and lead Ghana in righteousness, no matter the pressures to do otherwise.

Pastor John Watson noted that as President Mahama takes over as president, “there will be great temptation to comprise on the values he has learnt from the late president but I pray for him and urge him to be firm and ward off corruption like the late president did.”

He was speaking to Adom News on day one of Vinesong's five-week tour to Ghana, which begun Sunday August 12, 2012 at Harvest Chapel in the morning, and at Tesano Baptist Church in the evening.

The world-acclaimed UK-based missionary group brought comfort and joy to many hearts through their soul inspiring songs, particularly at a time when the whole of Ghana is still mourning the late president, who was buried two days before Vinesong started their Ghana tour.

Pastor John Watson said it was sad the team did not come early enough to meet the late president alive, but “we have known him to be a man of God and a man of integrity and it is our hope and prayer that his successor will continue to uphold that legacy.”

He described the late President Atta Mills as “a fine example of a good Christian”, saying that he does not believe God expects anything less from current president since he saw the example of the late president.

“I am proud to share the same name with both the late and the current presidents of Ghana , which means 'God is Gracious' and I trust that God will give the current president the grace to shepherd Ghana in righteousness which is the only way to true development.”

“Zambia is the only country in the world that has been declared a Christian nation, but I expect the new president of Ghana to do better than the late president and declare Ghana a Christian nation because it is obvious in Ghana that Christian activities are dominant everywhere,” he said.

Pastor John Watson was however sad that major roads in Ghana, particularly the Accra-Kumasi road, continue to remain death traps for several years, and urged the president to channel some of the oil money to fix those roads quickly to facilitate domestic trade.

He also stated that it was unacceptable for Ghana to have one of the biggest water bodies on the continent, River Volta, and yet Ghanaians still continue to carry gallons around looking for fresh water every day.

Pastor John urged President John Mahama to make it a priority to fix the roads and the water situation and leave those as a major legacy for posterity.

Vinesong would be in Ghana till September 11, 2012. They would be ministering in free concerts and church meetings mainly in Accra, except September 1 – 4, when they will be in Takoradi in the Western Region.

Other members of the group are Daniel Kok, Chalene Kok (Mrs) with baby Reuben Samuel Kok; and Rachel Gray.

Vinesong is known for their timeless worship and prayer songs like "Let Your Living Water Flow Over My Soul", "Holy Spirit Move Me Now', 'Another Touch', 'When it Hurts So Bad', 'Our God Reigns', 'My God is Able' (Accapella), and several others.

Story by Ghana/Samuel Nii Narku Dowuona/Adom News