Ghana Needs Professional Chaplains in Government

Ghana is undebatable, a deeply religious nation. The streets echo with church bells, mosque calls, and the quiet rhythms of traditional African worship. Faith is woven into our national fabric and identity. Yet inside the walls of the Jubilee House and Parliament house, the pressures of leadership are insistent with political tension, public scrutiny, ethical dilemmas, and personal struggles that rarely make the headlines.

It is here, behind the public speeches and policy announcements, that our leaders often fight their most private battles. And it is here where Ghana is missing something critical. The consistent, skilled, and confidential care that only professional workplace chaplains trained in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) can provide.

In recent times, much attention has been given to the role of a presidential envoy for interfaith and ecumenical relations. The idea sounds noble, at least someone to represent Ghana in religious matters and promote harmony among faith communities. But let’s be frank, the envoy’s work is fundamentally, ceremonial and external. It is more about appearances, diplomacy, and representation. What it cannot do is to meet the daily, internal needs of those in the highest offices of our land.

A professional chaplain’s role is fundamentally different. They are not political appointees bound by party loyalty or public image. They are trained listeners, moral counselors, and spiritual caregivers who serve all people, regardless of faith tradition. The CPE training equips the chaplain to handle complex emotional situations, mediate across religious lines, and respond with empathy in moments of personal or national crisis.

For example, a Member of Parliament faces a moral dilemma over a proposed bill. A presidential aide silently struggles with depression from the weight of constant public pressure. A minister of state mourns the sudden death of a loved one like the nation morns now. These are not issues for press conferences or official envoys. They are moments that require trust, privacy, and compassion. They are moments when a chaplain’s quiet presence can make all the necessary difference.

The Bible reminds us that, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14). Ghana’s leaders need that abundance of wise counsel not just in the policy rooms, but in the depths of their personal and moral lives.

Chaplains also embody something critical in our multi-faith society. That is a genuine religious respect which is without political bias. Ghana obviously, is home to Christians, Muslims, and people who are adherents of African Traditional Religions living side by side. A CPE-trained chaplain knows how to honor each faith’s sacred space while fostering mutual understanding. That is real interfaith work, not just shaking hands at public events, but building respect in the everyday working relationships.

There’s also the mental health reality. The pressure of our leaders can lead to burnout, moral fatigue, and even destructive personal choices that spill into public scandals. Having a trained chaplain available can prevent such crises. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one… If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.” Our leaders need that helping hand long before they hit the ground.

From a governance perspective, embedding chaplains is not just wise, it is cost-effective. Internal pastoral care can help avert public embarrassments, preserve the dignity of officeholders, and strengthen ethical decision-making. This is an investment in moral infrastructure which is as important as the building of roads and bridges, health facilities, schools, etc.

Importantly, placing chaplains in the Presidency and Parliament would send a clear message to Ghanaians; that leadership is not only about political power but also about moral integrity, humility, and one of service. As Micah 6:8 stated emphatically, “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

If Ghana truly wants to be a model of moral leadership in Africa, we must move beyond symbolic gestures. We must embed the values we preach into the very heartbeat of governance. That starts with replacing or at least complement the presidential envoy for interfaith and ecumenical relations with professional chaplains who can walk daily with our leaders, shoulder to shoulder, in both triumph and trial. This is very much so because sometimes the most important work for a nation happens not in front of cameras, but in the quiet counsel of a trusted chaplain behind closed doors.

GOD BLESS OUR HOMELAND GHANA –

Written By Chaplain Nana Kofi Nimako, MA, MChap, CPE.

Director, Adventist Chaplaincy Ministry (ACM), Southern Ghana Union Conference (SGUC)

Posted By Gaddiel R. Ackah. [email protected] 🇺🇸 U.S. Navy Veteran Based in the United States