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No ‘pain’ no gain: Stop paying pastors to fast on your behalf
Rev John Buertey Lawerteh
The Reverend Minister in-charge of the Trinity Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) in Big Ada of the Greater Accra Region, Reverend John Buertey Lawerteh has cautioned Christians who pay pastors to fast on their behalf to desist from it since it was not a good Christian practice.
He observed a new trend that people usually preferred to pay pasters on their behalf to avoid the inconvenience that came with fasting.
Reverend Lawerteh gave this advice when he delivered a sermon on the theme “Search for the hidden treasure” during his send-off ceremony after two years of service with the congregation.
He said where there was no pain, there was no gain such Christians were not serious with their Christian lives because no good thing comes easily.
“You must search for the hidden treasure yourself and not sit back and expect someone to do so on your behalf,” he said.
According to him, God is available and accessible to all who seek him deligently and not for a privileged few so everyone should endeavour to have a personal relationship with Him to easily approach Him.
He said there was no guarantee that the Man of God who was paid would honour his side of the agreement.
The Reverend Minister was surprised at the rate at which Christians had become nonchalant with the things of God in this era and advised them to wake up from their slumber and work hard to get the best from God.
He revealed that even in academics, people prefer taking the easy “but it doesn’t work like that. You must sacrifice to get what you want.”
“The youth also engage in sexual immorality yet claim to be praying to God for the right marriage partner which is a double standard because God expects His children to be pure and stay away from fornication,” he added.
Reverend Lawerteh became a catechist with his service with the PCG for seven years and 29 years as a Minister totaling it 36 years of service in the vineyard of God.
From Dzifa Tetteh Tay, Big Ada.
The spokesperson for Dr. Bawumia, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has criticised the implementation of the NDC government’s No Fee Stress policy, arguing that the programme has failed to deliver on its core promise.
According to him on Starr fm, the policy, which was introduced to ensure stress free payment of fees for level 100 tertiary students, has rather turned into what he described as post stress support.
He explained that students are required to pay their fees first before applying for reimbursement, a situation he believes defeats the purpose of the policy.
He questioned claims by government officials that the policy has been successful and that citizens are happy.
In his view, such claims do not reflect the lived realities of many Ghanaians. He stressed that while some people may appear satisfied, many others continue to struggle.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye pointed to the situation of trained teachers and nurses who have been picketing for nearly six months, demanding employment.
He noted that government responses suggesting it cannot accommodate all of them contradict claims of economic stability.
He further argued that economic indicators such as a stable currency mean little to people who are unable to secure jobs or access promised support.
He observed that telling an unemployed teacher or a struggling student that the cedi has strengthened does not address their immediate challenges.
On the issue of tertiary education, he maintained that no level 100 student benefited from stress free fees in 2025, despite the policy being announced.
He added that in 2026, students have already reported to school without receiving the promised support.
He insisted that asking students to pay fees first and seek reimbursement later amounts to support after hardship, not stress free education.
According to him, this approach goes against what was promised during the policy announcement.
Dennis Miracles Aboagye questioned why a government that presents the economy as strong is unable to fulfil what he described as simple and clear promises.
He added that there is a fundamental problem with the way the economy is being managed and indicated that he is prepared to explain his position further.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Dancehall musician Shatta Wale has issued a strong public statement calling for an end to what he describes as continuous attacks on his brand, following an apology from media commentator Awal Mohammed.
In the statement, Shatta Wale acknowledged the apology but stressed that persistent criticism and what he sees as deliberate attempts to damage his image must stop.
He noted that for many years, he has spoken for the streets, the youth, and people who feel ignored by society, while also promoting Ghana on the global stage and creating jobs through his work.
He expressed concern that some media personalities, commentators, and influential figures continue to target his name unfairly.
According to him, the issue goes beyond music and touches on respect, fairness, and national maturity.
The musician warned that continued disrespect toward voices that represent ordinary people could have wider consequences.
He emphasised that the Shatta Movement remains strong and organized, and that the patience of the masses should not be taken for granted.
He added that if systems continue to fail the people, they have the ability to organize politically through numbers and truth, not violence or hate.
Shatta Wale clarified that his message was not a threat but a reminder of reality, stressing that attacking a symbol that represents millions of people can have social, cultural, and democratic effects.
He called for respect, fairness, and unity, saying the voice of the people will always rise.
The statement comes after Awal Mohammed recently described Shatta Wale fans during a public discussion as junkies.
The comments triggered backlash from fans of the musician, prompting Awal to later issue an apology.
By: Jacob Aggrey
