Rev. Wisdom Mawu Dodzi Criticises MPs, Calls for Moral Renewal at Mfantseman National Prayer and Thanksgiving Day

The Chairman of the Saltpond Local Council of Churches and Secretary of the Mfantseman Local Council of Churches, Rev. Wisdom Mawu Dodzi, has called for a national moral renewal, urging Ghanaians to embrace integrity, accountability, and selfless leadership while criticising Members of Parliament (MPs) for what he described as their failure to adequately engage the people they represent.

Rev. Dodzi made the remarks while delivering the sermon at the National Prayer and Thanksgiving Day celebration held at the Mfantseman Municipal Assembly Hall in Saltpond on Wednesday, July 1. The event formed part of the nationwide observance instituted by President John Dramani Mahama and was held on the theme, “Resetting Our Values to Build the Ghana We Want.”

Addressing the congregation, the clergyman said Ghana’s progress cannot be measured solely by economic growth or government policies, insisting that lasting national development must be underpinned by strong moral values and responsible leadership.

He urged Ghanaians to return to the virtues of honesty, righteousness, discipline, patriotism, hard work, unity, and the fear of God, describing them as the building blocks of a peaceful and prosperous nation.

Rev. Dodzi, however, expressed disappointment over what he described as the growing disconnect between Members of Parliament and the constituents who elect them.

“I have never seen any Member of Parliament who was voted to represent the good people of a constituency come back to listen to the views and opinions of the constituents on national issues. They only debate and talk about issues that favour them,” he lamented.

According to him, elected representatives have a responsibility to remain in constant touch with their constituents and seek their views before taking positions on major national issues.

He argued that democracy thrives on consultation, accountability, and servant leadership, stressing that Parliament should reflect the voices and aspirations of the people rather than the interests of a few.

The respected clergyman also attributed many of Ghana’s socio-economic challenges to the erosion of moral values, citing corruption, indiscipline, dishonesty, greed, and selfishness as major obstacles to national development.

He maintained that meaningful transformation must begin with individuals, families, educational institutions, religious organisations, and communities, adding that no amount of infrastructure or economic reforms can produce sustainable development without corresponding moral transformation.

Rev. Dodzi therefore called on political leaders, public servants, religious bodies, traditional authorities, civil society organisations, and ordinary citizens to work together in promoting peace, justice, accountability, national unity, and social responsibility.

Traditional authorities from the four paramountcies in the Mfantseman Municipality also used the occasion to express concern over what they described as the declining respect for the institution of chieftaincy and the diminishing authority of traditional leaders.

Speaking on behalf of the traditional authorities, the chiefs lamented that appeals by Nananom for communal labour and community development initiatives are increasingly ignored by residents. They observed that many people readily respond when similar calls are made by politicians but fail to honour appeals from their traditional leaders.

The chiefs described the situation as a worrying shift in societal values and called for renewed respect for traditional authority, communal responsibility, and cultural heritage. They stressed that rebuilding Ghana requires citizens to appreciate the complementary roles of traditional leaders, religious institutions, and public officials in national development.

The celebration also featured intercessory prayers for President John Dramani Mahama, government officials, Members of Parliament, the Judiciary, the security services, traditional authorities, the youth, and all Ghanaians. Participants prayed for wisdom, unity, peace, and divine guidance for the nation’s leaders and for continued stability and prosperity across the country.

The National Prayer and Thanksgiving Day celebration brought together religious leaders, government officials, traditional authorities, security personnel, and residents of the Mfantseman Municipality, reaffirming a collective commitment to moral renewal, national unity, and the shared responsibility of building the Ghana everyone desires.