Kwadwo Twum Boafo
The Christ Presbyterian Church at Akropong has refuted claims by Kwadwo Twum Boafo, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Board, that he is a staunch member of the Church.
Mr. Twum Boafo, a highly vocal member of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), yesterday issued a statement declaring his decision to resign from the Church.
However, George Martinson, a senior Presbyter of the Akropong Christ Presbyterian Church and a committee member of the church, told DAILY GUIDE that since Mr. Twum Boafo was never a member of the church, his widely publicised resignation was baseless.
The revelation by the Church is contrary to impressions created by Mr Twum Boafo yesterday when he virtually excommunicated himself from the Church following a misunderstanding between the NDC and the Presbyterian Church last week.
Usually, all members of the Church have an official membership card that validates their relationship with the church; but Mr. Martinson insisted that Mr. Twum Boafo had no such record.
“His father, Mr. Kwaku Twum Boafo is a member of the church and not the son. We have gone through our records thoroughly without coming across his name.”
In a statement issued by the Free Zones Board boss, he declared his intention to resign from the Presbyterian Church because he was of the impression that the Church had become politically biased against the NDC.
“I am a card bearing member of the National Democratic Congress, but have always believed despite several occurrences that may give an impression to the contrary that the Presbyterian Church, at least, overtly had no horse in the politics of our beloved nation, these developments have traumatised me to no end and have made my membership of the church no longer tenable,” Mr Twum Boafo declared.
He apparently issued his statement in solidarity with his party which has tagged the Presbyterian Church an anti-NDC entity.
Recently, NDC General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia, and a propaganda secretary of the NDC Bernard Allotey Jacobs launched a frontal onslaught on the Church, warning it to stay out of the discussions over the controversial creation of the 45 new electoral constituencies because the church had no say in the matter.
“The leadership of the Church, anytime the NDC is in power, follows the line of the NPP in any national issue,” Bernard Allotey Jacobs was quoted as saying last week.
The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Church, Emmanuel Osei Acheampong, quickly rebuffed this attempt to tag the Church, and demanded an unflinching apology from the NDC spokespersons.
The tussle apparently did not sit well with the Free Zones Board boss who tried expressing his displeasure by “resigning”.
“I have arrived at this painful decision due to some very disturbing developments within sections of the leadership of the church with regards to the erosion of the high esteem within which it is held,” he stated.
“The church’s image has cascaded towards ignominy as a result of its recent involvement in the controversy generated by mostly NPP supporters over the creation of 45 new constituencies.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Martinson has described Mr. Twum Boafo’s decision as unfortunate, adding that the church would continue to pray for him.
By Linda Tenyah and Raphael Adeniran