Ghana, Africa Must Stop Begging… – Otabil

Head Pastor of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) has asked Ghana and the entire African Continent to stop begging for ‘help’ from foreign countries and international agencies.

Speaking at the Church’s 30th anniversary celebrations at the Accra Sports stadium on March 2, 2014, Pastor Mensa Otabil said the over dependency culture on foreign aids is gradually crippling the entire African continent.

He said “we seemed impossible to handle and solve our own problems…it is time to stretch our hands to God and then work with the hands that God has given to us. We have God in ourselves and we can make it here in Ghana”

Comparing the Continent to an immature butterfly that is helped by natural forces in the environment to come out of its cocoon rather than struggling to do so by itself, and by so doing, maturing independently, Dr Otabil said: “Instead of pushing out of our cocoons by ourselves, we beg for others to come help us. In the process we have become a crippled people. Look around us and see how we have crippled ourselves like that butterfly. Our farms are crippled. Our rivers are crippled. Our environment is crippled. Our industries are crippled. Our schools are crippled. Yet we look for some help from outside”

Even though he admitted that it will not be easy to depend on our own resources as a country and a continent, he said we can start by taking one step at a time, adding here a little, there a little, precept upon precept and gradually something will come out of the enormous resources that God has given as a country and a people.

“It will not be easy if we decide to do it ourselves. It will be hard. It will be tough. It will be painful but we will emerge with strong and capable wings. If a church (ICGC) which started in a classroom can do it, a whole nation, endowed with gold, oil and diamond should be able to do it. A whole Continent of 52 States with innumerable natural resources should be able to do it if we stretch our hands to God we can make our lives and the lives of our children better”

Pastor Otabil also told the youth to rise up for “the future is yours. The future is for prepared people. The future is for serious people so don’t joke with your life and the opportunities that come your way”