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The passport to hell
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NATIVES of Sikaman are very religious people. Procure a Bible, hire an interpreter, get four benches, a chair, table and two candles and arrange them like you see in a church room. You have established a church and the natives will start coming to you for consultation. The ladies will come around mid-night if you ask them to.
Getting followers is normally not a problem but if you are finding it difficult, you only have to learn to be a good dancer so that your floor shows will be a side attraction.
Start a funky Christian hymn and dance in accompaniment. An old retired witch passing by is likely to join you. She wants last minute salvation. For sure, a civil servant wanting to fight VAT spiritually will also join the fold with his own brand of kpalogo. A church has indeed been born.
The demise or survival of such a mushroom church will, however, depend on the competence, cooperation or roguery of the interpreter. If for instance he is not properly fed before a church service, he can decide to give his own interpretations to reflect the extent of his stomach palaver. It is, in fact, a form of strike action Kumi Preko!
“You are standing on holy ground”, the pastor will say. “If you don’t receive your miracle and healing here, then Jesus is not alive. So long as Jesus is alive, no disease, no problem will come here and go back unsolved. Halleluyah!”
The hungry interpreter who wants to subvert the process of the new church will interpret thus “The pastor says this is a church for idiots and those who are idle and have nothing doing. It is also a church for those who want entertainment like you can get in the discos. Meanwhile he says the service is becoming boring so if you’re feeling sleepy you can go home and sleep”.
The pastor will immediately sense foul play and will call the interpreter aside to ask him whether he is normal.
Are you mental?” he’d ask.
“You gave me only one ball of kenkey so whatever you were saying didn’t enter into my ears”
“Did you use the kenkey to seal your damn ears?”
“No, I mean it was not sufficient for my stomach”.
“So if I give you three balls can you handle the job?”
“Yes, but if you make it four, I’ll not make any mistake again. But the fish must be double, or else I’ll develop kwashiorkor”.
With the increase in the ration of the almighty interpreter and a rise in his Sunday stipend, the church gains ground and before long, membership increases with beautiful women in the majority. They have got problems that can only be solved at the beach at midnight.
Yes, most women go to church for various reasons among which are learning to dance, seeking marriage, courting potential boyfriends, making business smooth and flowing and seeking healing for fibroids. Some women also go to avoid their sexy husbands who always desire to start climbing them as early as 7.30 p.m. By the time they return from the evening service such husbands are tired of waiting and resort to snoring.
Men also are not left out of the Christian show. They attend to pray so that God can reveal to them whether their wives are witches or not, because since marriage, they have not prospered. They’ve tried everything including lotto, but still … There must be setting behind!
Well, prosperity or not, Christian churches have been established all over the place. At Ashaiman alone, there are about 500 churches or Christian sects, some fellowshipping in converted kitchens and under trees. Many are breakaway factions but they all have the same objectives together with the orthodox churches that is SAVING SOULS. But are Ghanaian churches really saving souls?
Whether orthodox, spirito-charismatic charismato-magical, almost all churches in Sikaman have tragically deviated from the virtues of soul winning and now concentrate on financial matters.
Luckily, one man of God, Reverend J. K. Atto-Brown who obviously was becoming embarrassed by the unbridled and unwarranted ways of ministers of the word who concentrate more on money than saving souls, spoke his piece of mind.
“It is a well-known fact that a greater part of our worship time is often devoted to fund-raising activities, while very little attention and time is given to the spiritual message to feed the souls of members”, he said.
Reverend Atto-Brown also observed that the method used by churches to collect monies from their members clearly shows how Satan could easily adulterate spiritual worship with materialistic concerns.
Not long after he spoke his mind, another Reverend Minister, Francis Botchway, lambasted ministers of churches for using too many methods to collect monies from their members.
In fact, financial issues have gained priority in our churches to such extents that organizing offerings and collections have become major activities of the modern church. The sermon is hurriedly preached to give way to more serious matters – silver collection, etc.
Members are compelled to donate towards the building of a new church house that never gets built, a-new organ that never gets bought, pastor’s welfare, pastor’s transfer, harvests, funerals, tithing and sundry others.
Contributing to some of these things isn’t a bad idea but anything which becomes compelling, straining and excessive to the point that members are distressed and feel exploited is not good for the church.
Moreover, a large percentage of these monies are not properly accounted for and pastors often quarrel with their church elders over embezzlements of church funds and the like.
The whole palaver has become one suggesting that you have to pay money to get salvation and a visa to heaven, which must not be the case. Salvation is free. It also suggests that if you are poor then you better stay at home and go to hell. Poverty, therefore, becomes a passport to hell.
Anyway, the self-appointed Reverend Kofi Kokotako recently told me that there is no place for the poor man in heaven because heaven is a luxurious joint. The guy is not serious.
Anyhow, our Christian churches need to be reformed. The exploitation must stop so that even the poor can have the chance of getting salvation. Worshipping God must not be another luxury. Must It?
This article was first published on Saturday May 27, 1995
“A woman who abandons her baby in a dustbin at Kasoa Lorry Station is not always a wicked woman. Sometimes, she is a wounded woman whose mind has broken, whose family has rejected her, and whose society has left her with only one terrible option: disappear or be disgraced.”
That is the hard truth Ghana must hear.
In the last 10 days alone, our nation has been confronted with the same painful headline, twice.
Case 1 – Kasoa Main Lorry Station, Central Region: A newborn baby girl was found abandoned inside a dustbin at the public toilet of the Kasoa Main Station. A woman who went to use the facility discovered the infant and raised an alarm. Commercial drivers and bystanders quickly retrieved the baby and rushed her to the Kasoa Polyclinic for emergency medical care.
Case 2 – Asante Bekwai, Ashanti Region: On Thursday morning, August 20, 2026, a two-week-old neonate was reportedly abandoned by an unknown nursing mother at Bekwai in the Ashanti Region. Residents who came across the child raised the alarm. The baby was admitted to the Bekwai Government Hospital as police commenced investigations.
Let me be clear from the start: Newborn abandonment is wrong. It is dangerous. It is criminal. And it can kill. This article does not excuse it. But if we only arrest and shame, we will never stop it. We must treat the root, not just punish the fruit.
What exactly is newborn abandonment? – The two definitions
The Legal Definition: Under Ghana’s Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), Section 96, and the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), abandonment of a child under 12 years is a criminal offence. It is classified as exposure and abandonment, punishable as a misdemeanor or felony. The law sees the mother as a perpetrator.
The Psychological definition: In clinical textbooks, newborn abandonment is defined as the intentional, permanent relinquishment of all parental rights, care, and responsibilities over an infant within the first 28 days of life without making formal, legal arrangements for care.
To understand this crisis properly, we must not confuse it with child abandonment. Newborn abandonment happens within 0-28 days of life, often driven by acute panic, denial of pregnancy, or postpartum psychosis where the attachment bond never formed. Child abandonment, on the other hand, involves toddlers to teenagers where a bond existed but collapsed over time due to chronic poverty, family breakdown, or parental burnout. One is an acute crisis of the first month; the other is a chronic breakdown over years. Both are harmful, but they need different interventions.
Psychologically, newborn abandonment is the ultimate rupture of the primary attachment bond. Think of a 19-year-old university student who secretly gives birth alone in her hostel room, wraps the crying baby in a polythene bag, and drops it at a refuse dump at midnight. That is not just a crime scene; it is a scene of extreme panic and psychological dissociation.
Why would a mother carry a baby for 9 months and then abandon it?
This is the question every Ghanaian asks. If you wanted to abandon it, why not abort? The answer is deeply psychological:
1. The psychodynamics of denial of pregnancy: This is a profound defense mechanism, not a lie. The mother’s subconscious mind completely rejects the reality of the pregnancy. She does not gain weight normally, feels no kicks, does not seek antenatal care, and genuinely convinces herself she is not pregnant until sudden, shocking labour pains take her by surprise in a toilet or bedroom.
2. Fantasy of a dissolving problem: This is called cognitive avoidance. She believes “my boyfriend will come back,” “my mother will forgive me,” or “something miraculous will happen before birth.” So she waits, paralyzed, until the baby is here.
3. Barriers to safe abortion: Deep religious guilt, moral anxiety, fear of dying from a back-alley abortion, lack of money for a safe procedure, and family laws force her to carry to term even when she feels incapable.
4. The shock of reality and acute panic: Upon delivery, the physical presence and crying of the newborn shatters all denial. Confronted with immediate exposure, shame, and reality, her brain enters a trauma response — “fight, flight, or freeze.” For many, it becomes “flight” — physically escape the threat of exposure to survive socially. That is why babies are left in places where others will find them -lorry stations, churches, hospitals.
Source:
Counselor Prince Offei, CPAC’s founder, is a leading Mental Health Professional, Marriage Counsellor, Author, ADR Expert/Arbitrator, and Spectator Newspaper Columnist. He writes on relationships, marriage, parenting, special needs support, and their connection to mental health. For therapy, counselling, or enquiries, contact Counselor Prince & Associates Consult (CPAC) in Accra on 0559850604 / 0551428486.
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Features
Environmental stewardship is an act of worship: The Islamic response to climate change, environmental degradation (Part 4)
The environmental consequences of illegal mining have reached alarming levels in Ghana. Several major rivers, including the Pra, Ankobra, Offin, Birim and Tano, have experienced significant pollution from illegal mining activities, increasing the cost and complexity of water treatment while threatening the availability of potable water for millions of citizens (Water Resources Commission, 2024; Ghana Water Limited, 2024). These developments underscore the urgent need for stronger environmental governance and collective action.
Islam equally emphasises accountability in governance. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught that every leader is responsible for those under his or her authority (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 7138; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1829). This principle extends to public officials entrusted with environmental regulation, traditional authorities responsible for communal lands, mining companies, local assemblies, and community leaders. Environmental protection cannot succeed
where accountability is absent.
At the same time, addressing galamsey requires more than law enforcement. Sustainable solutions must tackle the underlying socio-economic realities that drive individuals into illegal mining. Many young people are motivated by unemployment, poverty, and limited economic opportunities. Islamic principles of social justice therefore call for the creation of alternative livelihoods through sustainable agriculture, vocational training, responsible small-scale mining under strict environmental standards, entrepreneurship, and skills development. Environmental protection and economic empowerment should not be viewed as competing priorities but as complementary goals that promote human dignity and national development.
Faith communities also have an indispensable role to play. Mosques, churches, schools, traditional councils, and civil society organisations possess significant influence in shaping public attitudes and behaviours. Imams, in particular, should consistently remind congregations that wealth acquired through actions that destroy communities and Allah’s creation cannot be regarded as a blessing. Religious education should cultivate environmental ethics alongside spiritual devotion, reinforcing the understanding that protecting rivers, forests, and farmlands is an expression of gratitude to Allah and a fulfilment of the trust of Khalifah.
Ultimately, the struggle against galamsey is more than a campaign to protect natural resources; it is a struggle to uphold justice, preserve human dignity, and honour the trust that Allah has placed upon humanity. Lasting solutions will require strong governance, responsible citizenship, sustainable economic opportunities, and renewed moral leadership. Only when these elements
work together can Ghana safeguard its natural heritage for present and future generations.
Water conservation, waste management and sustainable development: Practical expressions of Islamic stewardship
Religious education should cultivate environmental ethics alongside spiritual devotion, reinforcing the understanding that protecting rivers, forests, and farmlands is an expression of gratitude to Allah and a fulfilment of the trust of Khalifah.
Ultimately, the struggle against galamsey is more than a campaign to protect natural resources; it is a struggle to uphold justice, preserve human dignity, and honour the trust that Allah has placed upon humanity. Lasting solutions will require strong governance, responsible citizenship, sustainable economic opportunities, and renewed moral leadership. Only when these elements
work together can Ghana safeguard its natural heritage for present and future generations.
Islam is not merely a religion that condemns environmental destruction; it also provides practical guidance for preserving and sustaining the natural world. Through its teachings on moderation, cleanliness, conservation, and responsible consumption, Islam cultivates an environmental ethic that remains remarkably relevant to contemporary challenges such as water scarcity, pollution, waste management, and climate change. These teachings encourage Muslims to become
responsible custodians of Allah’s creation in both private and public life.
Water conservation: A sacred responsibility
Water occupies a unique position in Islam as the source of life and an essential element of worship. Allah says, “And We made from water every living thing. Then will they not believe?” (Qur’an 21:30, Sahih International). This verse reminds believers that water is not merely an economic resource but a divine blessing upon which all living creatures depend. The importance of water is further reflected in Islamic acts of worship. Muslims perform ablution (wudu) before the five daily prayers and ritual bathing (ghusl) under prescribed circumstances.
Yet, despite its central role in purification, Islam strongly discourages wastefulness. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once advised one of his companions not to waste water while performing ablution, even when using water from a flowing river (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 425). This timeless guidance establishes the principle that abundance does not justify extravagance.
Conservation remains a religious obligation regardless of the apparent availability of natural resources.
This Prophetic teaching carries profound implications for contemporary Ghana. Illegal mining has severely polluted many rivers, increasing the cost of water treatment and limiting access to safe drinking water for numerous communities. Climate change has also intensified seasonal variability in rainfall, placing additional pressure on freshwater resources (IPCC, 2023). Against this
backdrop, conserving water is no longer simply an environmental preference—it is a moral imperative grounded in Islamic teaching.
Water conservation should therefore become a shared responsibility among households, educational institutions, industries, and places of worship. Simple practices such as repairing leaking pipes, harvesting rainwater, protecting riverbanks, avoiding contamination of water bodies, and promoting efficient irrigation contribute to safeguarding one of Allah’s greatest blessings. Every effort to preserve water is an investment in public health, food security, and the
wellbeing of future generations.
Unfortunately, indiscriminate disposal of refuse remains a significant challenge in many communities. Plastic waste clogs drainage systems, contributes to flooding during the rainy season, pollutes rivers and beaches, and threatens marine ecosystems. Open burning of waste further degrades air quality and poses serious health risks, particularly for children and the elderly (UNEP,2024).
The author is Chief Imam of Katamanso Municipal and Certified Counsellor and Governnace Expert.
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