<<Print>>

A Deputy General Secretary of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho has described Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference as the Pharisees and Sadducees of our time fighting against sinners that Jesus Christ came to save.

Questioning why some religious bodies are up in arms against government’s decision to accept the two Yemeni citizens when it has been stated they pose no threat to the country, he called on the bishops to rather remove their cassocks and join politicians in carrying out their political activities.

The presence of Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby has created fear in the hearts of some Ghanaians, with religious bodies including the Christian Council of Ghana and the Catholic Bishops Conference urging the John Mahama administration to send them back.

But government has been resolute in defence of its decision to house them in Ghana. Foreign Minister Hanna Tetteh, who issued a statement announcing their arrival, said the two were only "footsoldiers" of Al-qaeda and posed no potential risk to Ghana.

A few days later, President John Mahama told journalists that the ex-detainees are "low risk" individuals and did not undertake any direct operational activities with Al-qaeda.

According to President Mahama, they were captured and unjustifiably detained for 14 years and it was important that Ghanaians show Christian compassion by offering them a place to restart their lives.

"I am compassionate. In the bible it teaches us to be compassionate. To what use will Christianity be without showing compassion to the people who need help most,” the president said.

But, while agreeing with the president's call for Ghanaians to show compassion to prisoners, the head of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, Most Rev Joseph Osei Bonsu argues that such compassion must be balanced with common sense.

This comment, it appears, has not gone down well with Anyidoho and on Okay Fm’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, he posited; “It is sad that some Bishops say we apply compassion with common sense. Where was the common sense of those Bishops when a Member of Parliament said Ewes and Gas should be killed? Or there was no common sense in the world?

“They should come out clear from their political hideout but they should mind their language; they should choose when to talk and when not to talk. They should just watch it and if they want to hear things, they will hear things” he fumed.