We advised Akufo-Addo, but he refused to listen – Apostle Eric Nyamekye

Apostle Eric Nyamekye, Chairman of the Pentecost Church Ghana, has responded to criticisms regarding the perceived ‘loud silence’ of religious leaders during the tenure of former President Nana Akufo-Addo.

He explained that religious institutions, including the clergy, opted for a more direct approach when addressing national issues, choosing to communicate their positions directly to the president instead of publicly criticising the government.

Apostle Nyamekye noted that, despite this approach, the president and his appointees ignored much of the good counsel they provided, with particular reference to the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy (E-Levy).

In an interview with Oyerepa TV during the presidential inauguration ceremony on Tuesday, 7th January 2025, Apostle Nyamekye said:

These critics miss the point. The religious leaders who previously criticised the Mahama administration are no longer in office. The new leadership altered the approach and no longer used the pulpit or radio to criticise the government, recognising that it was not the appropriate method.

We chose to engage with them directly, and that is the approach we intend to take with the new government. We believe it is disrespectful to speak to the president through our churches.

We played a key role in opposing the E-levy, which led to its reduction to 1%, but some of the advice we offered was ignored. We did engage, but we engaged respectfully.

In 2022, the Electronic Transactions Levy (E-Levy) was introduced, imposing a 1.5% charge on all electronic transactions exceeding GH?100 daily. The charge was later revised to 1%, but it continues to face widespread opposition, with critics arguing that it is regressive and burdensome for Ghanaians.

Ghana’s newly elected President, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, has pledged to scrap the E-Levy, along with other nuisance taxes, within his first 120 days in office.

Watch Apostle Nyamekye's interview below.

President Akufo Addo didn't listen to some of the advise we gave him- Apostle Eric Nyamekye - Chairman, Church of Pentecost#OYEREPA pic.twitter.com/azaDwVYeAe

— Oyerepa TV/FM (@oyerepaofficial) January 7, 2025

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