Okoe Vanderpuije Drives Sharp Wedge Between Churches And  Government

Okoe Vanderpuije

ACCRA, May 26-- --The cordial and symbiotic relations that have existed between the church and state over decades are drawing to a close as Mayor of Accra, Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije is portraying another side of state power towards churches.

A sinister agenda which has had the use of the names of Education Minister, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang and the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afote Agbo is being unleashed against churches throughout the Accra Metropolitan Area (AMA).

Last year a directive was issued by the AMA boss for all churches which had rented classrooms for use for evening and Sunday services to vacate these classrooms, with immediate effect.

At least a landlord would have given the tenant a few months to look for a new place, but Okoe Vanderpuije’s directive was “with immediate effect.

When some of the clergy sought and got audience with the beaded mayor under whose reign the city and county witnessed in June 2015 the worst ever effect of flooding, with the loss of about 150 lives, he told them point bank, their activities on the school premises were the cause of the abysmal performances being churned out by the schools .

All explanations and pleadings fell on deaf ears and the Mayor’s edict held sway with just a little consideration that the churches could use the compounds but not the classrooms.

The mayor who is an elder in the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) told the church leaders that the decision was part of the policy of this particular government to stop churches from using classrooms for worship, although the worship times do not coincide with school hours.

Some of the churches which could not move immediately therefore procured canopies under which they worship on Sunday mornings and at evening services.

The use of classrooms by churches at non-class hours, which is a gestation or transitional period for many churches and church branches within the hours of 5 pm and 8 pm two week days and then on Sunday morning which in all won’t be more than 12 hours on the average for majority of churches has its own positive sides.

Admittedly some few churches may have mishandled some school furniture, but once that is brought to the attention of the their leaders, these attitudes get curtailed.

Notwithstanding the fact that the churches rent the classrooms for which they pay at least a token to the school authorities, majority of the churches also contribute towards maintenance of some of the school structures fixing electrical fittings and even installing burglar proofing windows and doors for the schools to prevent the constant break-ins by thieves which is a regular occurrence in most of the basic schools in Accra, some school heads admitted.

In many communities, including Boundary Road Schools at Adabraka, Ringway Estates JHS, Kanda Cluster of Schools, Anunmle, Cluster of Schools, Nmai Jor just to mention a few, hooligans had been the school premises’ as dens for smoking weed, defecating and other forms of social vices. Some members of the communities even slept in the classrooms at night.

But in all these places heads of schools and Circuit Supervisors confirmed that where churches have teamed up with school authorities to put effective measures in place the crimes and anti-social practices on the school premises have reduced drastically.

It is therefore surprising that the Accra Mayor and his advisors are, in the style of Emperor Nero in AD 60 citing church activities for the weak results some of the schools churn out.

To make matters worse, another directive was issued by the AMA in March 2016 citing the orders of the Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo that even the use of the school compounds by the churches must cease.

When contacted. Public Relations Officer (PRO) of AMA, Numo Blafo asserted that the order being executed came from the AMA boss.

“It is an order from the MCE that is being executed,” the PRO said on Wednesday morning via telephone.

When pressed further as to whether the order wasn’t coming from government or the education ministry Blafo responded in the negative insisting that it was Vanderpuije’s orders.

END.
Justice Lee Adoboe Senior Correspondent Accra Bureau of the Xinhua News Agency Tel. 0302771128 Fax. 0302771196 Cell. 233243364994/233267220568 web: www.xinhuanet.com/enlish-Africa www.fighana.com

Okoe Vanderpuye