GHANA: Don’t Take Advantage of Covid-19 to Exploit Citizens, Bishops Warn

ACCRA, APRIL 7, 2020 (CISA)-The Ghana Conference of Catholic Bishops has asked business people in the country not to take advantage of Covid-19 pandemic to exploit others.

“This is not the time to make more money but to go to the help the needy and suffering. God invites us to make an introspection into our lives as individuals, as a nation and as a wold,” said a statement issued on Monday April 6 signed by Archbishop Philip Naameh of Tamale and President of Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference.

The bishops hope that the meeting between President Nana Akufo-Addo, the various Religious leaders, and leaders of political parties in the country will unite all Ghanaians in the war against the pandemic.

“There should be no politicization of the epidemic since coronavirus has no political colour or preference,” the statement reads, further quoting Peter Cardinal Turkson who said “For each person, believer or nonbeliever, this is a good time to understand the value of brotherhood, of being linked to one another in an indissoluble way.”

In the phase of the pandemic, the bishops acknowledged that the social media has made them realize how interconnected and interdependent people are and how much people can learn from each other.

“We are in some cases relearning some of the basic things we need to do out of consideration for others in public and how to stay healthy. We are re-discovering the importance of caring for each other in the family, of reading the Word of God and praying together as a family.”

“During this unusual moment and time when we celebrate Easter under dire circumstances, it is unusual for no-believers and even people of faith to begin to ask questions concerning the omnipotence, omnipresence and goodness of God, and entertain doubts on whether God really cares for his people.”

“We continue to pray for those who work at the hospitals and health sectors, paramedic, the security services, the leaders in our world and all who are at the frontline of this pandemic that they may be well protected in the discharge of duties,” further expressing solidarity with the 287 infected with the virus and families of the five who have succumbed to the virus.