General News of Thursday, 14 March 2013
Source: Daily Guide
Latest information trickling into Daily Guide about the controversial pilgrimage for 200 selected pastors by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration indicates that a whopping price tag of $2million, approximately GHS4 million, is the sponsorship package for the trip.
At the time the national coffers are in red, with government struggling to meet its financial commitments, the Mahama administration is doling out $2million to fund the jolly ride to Israel.
The ruling NDC government is expected to be responsible for coughing up this amount to sponsor the lucky pastors to the holy land, ostensibly to pray for the president.
When the story broke, speculations were rife that the Head Pastor of the Royal House Chapel International (Ahenfia) was allegedly part of the trip, particularly due to his close relations with the organiser of the trip Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, the Campaign Coordinator of the John Dramani Mahama 2012 Presidential Campaign and currently the Minister of Youth and Sports.
However, Rex Dankwa, the Chief Executive Officer of media consultancy firm, RICS Consult and an elder in the Royal House Chapel, debunked this linkage.
In a telephone interview with Daily Guide on Tuesday, he stated categorically that Sam “Korankye-Ankrah knows nothing about the trip”.
According to him, if certain names could be penned down by the organiser to benefit from such travel packages, it did not necessarily mean that the beneficiary knew something about it.
Also, controversial cleric Prophet Isaac Owusu Bempah was alleged to have been earmarked for the trip, but he vehemently denied any knowledge of such a trip. He told Daily Guide on Tuesday that he knew nothing about the trip.
Daily Guide sources disclosed that each pastor would be given $10,000, amounting to $2 million, to cover their cost of air fare, hotel bills, feeding and per diem.
There are speculations that plans for the trip were apparently hatched to seek divine protection for President Mahama whose doom had been predicted.
Also, the pastors would reportedly pray for the president whose presidential mandate is seriously being challenged by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the Supreme Court.
Daily Guide is however unable to independently confirm the names of beneficiaries and the $2million budget for the trip because the coordinator for the trip, Elvis SAfriyie Ankrah, has refused to reveal much information.