The Chairman of the Christian Council of Ghana has issued a strong warning to Members of Parliament (MPs), urging them to refrain from associating with unregulated and self-proclaimed pastors whose activities, he says, are damaging the reputation of the religious community.
Rt Rev Dr Hillard Dela Dogbe made the call on May 20, 2025, during a visit by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Chieftaincy, Cultural and Religious Affairs to the Christian Council’s offices in Accra.
The visit formed part of a familiarisation tour by the committee to engage with key institutions under its oversight.
“When parliamentarians associate with these figures, it sends the wrong message that they have institutional support,” Dr Dogbe told the delegation.
He noted that while the Christian Council has clear entry requirements for its member churches, it lacks the legal authority to monitor or sanction religious leaders operating outside its membership.
The Council’s concerns reflect growing public unease over unregulated churches and self-proclaimed pastors, some of whom have been accused of deceptive practices, financial exploitation, and spiritual abuse. Dr Dogbe said political endorsements only embolden such figures and called for MPs to adopt a more responsible and cautious approach in their public dealings.
Rather than seeking state intervention, Dr Dogbe recommended that religious communities intensify internal self-regulation mechanisms, while urging public figures to avoid lending legitimacy to questionable spiritual leaders.
“The issue is not just about faith; it’s about integrity and public trust,” he added.
The Christian Council meeting was one stop in a broader engagement by the committee, which also visited the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.
At the Local Government Ministry, Minister Ahmed Ibrahim highlighted the challenge of chieftaincy disputes, calling them a “major concern” for national unity.
He praised the committee’s structure, noting that its chairmanship had been deliberately assigned to a member of the opposition to promote non-partisan decision-making in chieftaincy matters.
