I don't Worship A Pastor; I Worship God,' Joel Savage Says

Ghana is my country and I know that religion is very important to many Ghanaians, but I don’t worship men of God or any pastor because these heads of religious institutions are not God. They are normal human beings and many are responsible for the atrocities and carnage taking place in this world today.

There are decent Ghanaian pastors that have respect for humanity and understand the suffering of ordinary Ghanaians. Those pastors keep criticizing the government of Akufo Addo, to make life better for the ordinary people, while others too are promoting the vices and wrongdoings of the NPP government. Intelligent Ghanaians don't have to encourage crime and corruption in the NPP government because the NDC did. That's completely wrong.

"I respect pastors but I don't worship them since they are normal human beings, I worship God, He is my inspiration and guide, that's why I am still married to my wedded wife after 29 years, with three handsome boys, together in Belgium." - Joel Savage

Politics and religion can’t be separated. That’s why the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu engaged in politics to denounce Apartheid and the burdens imposed on South Africans during the era of Apartheid by the white minority government, and it worked. Apartheid bowed to democracy in the early nineties.

So, while Ghanaians are suffering under the NPP government, despite all the promises Akufo Addo made that he couldn’t fulfill, but rather creating unprecedented hardships amid a high rate of unemployment, I will expect any person who claims to be a pastor to intervene on behalf of the people to see to the plight of the sufferers to discourage the E-Levy.

Nobody is saying that paying taxes is an abomination because the development of a country depends on taxes generated by the country, but since for over five years in power, Akufo Addo couldn’t create any jobs to employ the youth, he mustn’t take any extra tax from them as an E-Levy. That’s my point.

Therefore, I see the Rev. Joseph Obiri-Yeboah, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, as a bad man of God or pastor for supporting this fraudulent E-Levy, while he refused to caution Akufo Addo when he was spending recklessly on foreign missions which were adversely affecting the country financially.

Corruption has increased significantly in this NPP government more than in the era of John Mahama, but as a man of God, Rev. Obiri-Yeboah wasn’t interested in warning the government that their unprofessional conduct will harm the economy and affect the livelihood of the common people.

Monies have been stolen from the government coffers and some taken from the Central Bank of Ghana to unknown destinations. Even funds to fight COVID-19 in Ghana weren’t spared; they were stolen too. All of this stolen money can be used to improve production in a variety of ways, thereby improving the lives of ordinary Ghanaians.

Yet, Rev Joseph Obiri-Yeboah, who claims he cares for the welfare of ordinary Ghanaians and, therefore, says "Ghana’s tax is nothing compared to what those in developed countries pay," is pure hypocrisy and it’s like condoning corruption while supporting the imposition of burdens on the people.

Before Obiri-Yeboah came out to support the E-Levy, he should have tried to demand the NPP government trace the missing funds and bring them. He claims the developed world pays more tax but they use it very well to develop their countries. That's why Europe and America are beautiful for tourist attractions and medical checkups, while in Ghana tax revenues are stolen.

For those who think it is wrong for me to criticize Rev. Obiri-Yeboah if Ghanaian politicians were not mismanaging the tax revenues, would Ghana have been in such a deplorable condition for politicians to seek medical attention in foreign countries?

That’s why I said I see Rev. Obiri-Yeboah as a very bad man or even a fake man of God supporting the fraudulent E-Levy from which all the proceeds will be once again stolen by the same government that couldn’t use the revenues from cocoa, gold, bauxite, timber, oil, etc. to develop the country.

I don’t write because I want people to like me. I am writing because I want my country to be better, whether the NPP, NDC, or any other political party is in power. However, no one should expect me to promote a bad government because of tribalism. I will not do it, and no matter how I may be attacked or insulted, that will not change my identity or tone of writing. I am that I am.

Many Ghanaians are psychologically impacted by religion to the extent that they see pastors as God. I don’t worship pastors, but I might have some respect for a pastor because I know there are genuine ones there, and others too, are political prostitutes just to feed their stomachs and families.

If there is heaven and hell, then it’s in this world that is turning around because, what I believe is, whatever evil one sows, the same he shall reap before his death on the surface of this earth, and so it is with the so-called pastors and heads of churches.