The well-known women’s prayer group Aglow International – Ghana has come under fire from veteran Ghanaian actor and show host Kwaku Sintim-Misa, also known as KSM, for its recent prayer session for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
He asserts that prayer cannot solve the problems facing ECG and Ghana’s energy industry because they are not spiritual in nature.
His comments come after a widely shared video from the group’s most recent monthly intercessory prayer meeting, in which participants pray against dumsor, or power outages, and ask God to intervene in the energy sector so that government representatives will follow their lead.
Since then, the video has generated a range of responses, with some citizens raising concerns about the group’s seeming silence on related topics under the previous government.
KSM responded to the prayer session by saying that the current crisis would not be resolved by such prayers.
“The problem we’re having with ECG is not a spiritual problem. It’s a power generation issue. ECG claims they have enough power to meet the demands of Accra, but the challenge lies in the debt that has accumulated against us.”
He continued by saying that rather than pledging the business to the “blood of Christ,” the emphasis should be on fixing the technical issues and the debt owed by ECG.
“Whatever your faith Christian, Muslim let it be your faith. I don’t like to interfere with that. But what I take issue with is the misapplication of faith, when instead of thinking critically and applying common sense, strategy, and science to solve a problem, we resort to prayer alone.”
John Jinapor, the energy minister, has reassured the public that steps are being taken to enhance the supply of electricity. He blamed past-due maintenance on a number of power plants for the recent disruptions.
In an interview with reporters on Monday, May 12, Mr. Jinapor clarified that extensive phased servicing is presently in progress and is necessary to ensure the long-term viability of the country’s power infrastructure.
By Najat Adamu
