Police, clergy appeal to Ghanaians to stay calm over Terror prophecy

The prophecy by the Nigerian prophet, T.B. Joshua, concerning ‘foreign attacks’ on Ghana and Nigeria has generated mixed feelings among religious institutions.

The said prophecy has also generated fear and panic among members of the Ghanaian public, but the Ghana Police Service has asked the public to remain calm.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Police Service has urged the public to remain calm in the wake of the prophecy.

It has assured members of the public that the security agencies have jointly put adequate measures in place to forestall any terrorist attacks or disturbances.

The Director of Public Affairs of the Police Service, Superintendent of Police Mr Cephas Arthur, said all requisite operational strategies, including intelligence gathering and tactical deployment of personnel, had been instituted as part of measures to nip any breach of peace in the bud.

Remain calm — police

“In view of the security measures, the police are seeking the cooperation of the public in the fight against the scourge of terrorism and other forms of violence,” Mr Arthur said.

He called on members of the public to be more vigilant and report any suspicious parcels or items abandoned at public places and other vantage points, as well as suspected questionable characters, to the police.

“The police can be contacted on 18555 on MTN and Vodafone networks and 191 and 0302773906 on all networks in case of any help or to give any information,” he added.

Christian Council

The General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana (CCG), Rev. Dr Opuni Frimpong, told the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday that in as much as he believed in prophecies, it was inappropriate to run Ghana’s security on prophecies.

The reverend said the security agencies should enhance their operations not only because of the prophecy but also because uncompromised security had become crucial in recent times following the recent attacks on neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso and Cote d’Ivoire.

He asked that prophecies be left to faith-based organisations to handle.
He said the security agencies were trained and their professionalism needed to be evident, instead of taking decisions on national security based on some prophecies.

Boosting security

Rev. Dr Frimpong said the security agencies needed to boost their operations and intervention measures in the wake of similar attacks in neighbouring countries.
“They have to put in place measures at various points of entry to avert any possible terrorist attack and leave prophecies for Christians to pray about,” he added.

He cited the installation of cameras on high streets in Kenya and said the security agencies in Ghana must beef up security in the country.

Involving the public

He recommended the involvement of civil society groups and religious leaders in raising security alert in the face of recent terror threats in some parts of the African continent.

Rev. Dr Frimpong said a better result was achieved when other organisations outside the health sector were involved in creating awareness of the Ebola disease during the outbreak of the virus.

Catholic Bishops Conference

The President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, the Most Rev. Joseph Osei-Bonsu, said the country should ignore the prophecy, as it was too vague.
However, he admonished that stakeholders and the citizenry should continue to pray, so that the current peace and security the country was enjoying would be divinely safeguarded.

He was of the view that most of such vague prophecies were fake, adding: “If the predictions happen, the prophets will claim to have warned appropriately, but if they fail, they will claim to have averted the calamity by the prayers of stakeholders.”

“ Yes, the country should not waste time on the prophecy, but that is not to say that we should relent in our security intervention measures, as well as praying to God to safeguard the peace and security we are currently enjoying,” the Most Rev. Osei-Bonsu said.

Pentecostal and Charismatic Council of Ghana

The General Secretary of the Pentecostal and Charismatic Council of Ghana (PCCG), Apostle Samuel Antwi, says irrespective of the varying opinions stakeholders hold about the Nigerian prophet’s prophecy, it should serve as a wake-up call for all stakeholders, particularly the security agencies.

“Prophecies in the Bible were used many a time to warn an individual or group of people about something that would happen in the future, good or bad, so that the appropriate measures were taken to avert the occurrences or mitigate their impact. Therefore, whether T.B. Joshua’s prophecy is true or not, it should be a call to action; there is no harm in doing that,” he said.

Another executive member of the PCCG, Rev. Dr Nana Anyani-Boadum, said no prophecy should be ignored unless the recipient had reasons to doubt the credibility of the prophet or the prophecy.

He said stakeholders should consider the prophecy as a call to action and assess the current security measures and strengthen them as expected.

“National security must do more in terms of protecting our soft spots, including the airports, hospitals, hotels and electricity installations as part of security alert measures,” he said.

Background

Prophet Joshua said he had received a prophecy from God that there was a planned ‘foreign attack’ on Ghana and Nigeria.

He asked members of his church to pray against the planned attacks.

The prophet was even specific on the days on which the attackers would strike, saying the attacks would take place at gatherings of people.

“I am seeing Thursday, Friday and Saturday — if I may say Thursday — because these evil people are very funny. Anything can just happen. You will be very shocked to see what will happen, because when the prayer is going in this direction they [attackers] change to [another] direction.

“I see Thursday, Friday. Pray for these two nations — Nigeria and Ghana — over gathering in any way; over attack. I am seeing attack and that will be in a foreign way. The attack will come not in a local way. So please open your lips and pray for these two nations for protection,” he told the congregants.

He would, however, not state whether the said Thursday or Friday or Saturday would be in this month or the next, explaining:

“Not necessarily this week, because it is a battle between the evil spirit and the holy spirit ….. ‘foreign attacks’ on Ghana and Nigeria…”

Source: Graphic.com.gh