Address pressing national issues - Rt Rev. Dr Ollenu urges govt

The Bishop of the Accra Diocese of the Methodist Church Ghana, Rt Rev. Dr Samuel Nii Nmai Ollenu, has called on the government to address pressing national issues, including security, sanitation, education and the promotion of gender equity to enhance the development of the country.

Rev. Ollenu made the call at the 2025 Annual Synod at Mamprobi in the Mamprobi Circuit.

This year’s four-day synod, the 64th edition, was on the theme: “Discipleship: Growing into Christian Maturity” and was held at the Nazareth Methodist Church Chapel at Mamprobi.

Bishop Ollenu congratulated President John Dramani Mahama on his ascension to the high office for a second time, and commended him for selecting Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, a member of the Methodist Church, as Vice-President, 

Security

On the 24-hour economy initiative, the Bishop applauded the initiative, emphasising that it would bring improvement in the economy and create jobs for the teaming youth who were energetic, yet jobless.

Audience at the event. Picture: CALEB VANDERPUYE 

However, he urged the government to first address security and street lighting as a top priority in the concept of the initiative and recommended the use of modern engineering designs to prevent theft and destruction of streetlights.

Cashless Society

The Bishop called for the country’s move towards a cashless society, arguing that cash-heavy transactions made individuals and businesses more vulnerable to theft.

He proposed legislation to mandate all merchants with turnovers exceeding GH¢1,000 to adopt POS systems.

He further urged the Bank of Ghana to work with commercial banks to cap transaction charges for electronic payments at 0.5 per cent, especially now that the E-Levy had been scrapped. 

Cleaning the Capital

Rt Rev. Dr Ollenu decried the poor sanitation in the capital city, saying the filth in Accra continued to tarnish the country’s image internationally.

He, therefore, called on the Greater Accra Regional Minister to take decisive steps to clean up the city, adding that many unemployed people could be engaged in sanitation work if the Assemblies improved revenue collection and accountability.

LGBTQ+ Law

The Bishop expressed support for the President’s position on the anti-LGBTQ+ bill and welcomed the decision to convert it into a state-sponsored bill.

He further encouraged the speedy passage of the bill, emphasising that it had already gone through the necessary fine-tuning processes.

Education Reform and Equity

On the issue of education, the Bishop reiterated the Church’s commitment to collaborating with the government to improve the sector.

He called for renewed focus on the boy-child, arguing that most STEM and ICT initiatives currently focused on girls.

“Now, it is the boys who are lagging, and if the current situation is not addressed, the gap will grow wider,” he said.

On the Free SHS policy, Rt Rev. Dr Ollenu praised the initiative but suggested that the government should review the feeding arrangement, proposing that the government served only breakfast and lunch, and allowed parents to bear the cost of supper and boarding.

He argued that this would promote equity between day and boarding students and reduce overcrowding in school dormitories.

He noted that such a move would also enable better nutrition for learners, which in turn would enhance their brain development and critical thinking