Fake prophets are religious criminals - Bishop

Freedom of worship as guaranteed in the 1992 constitution does not mean individuals rights should be sacrificed on the altar of religion, says the Right Rev. Daniel Allotey, Bishop of the Cape Coast Diocese of the Anglican Church. "All fake leaders and false prophets of so-called spiritual and miracle churches whose activities infringe on the rights of their members must be identified and brought to book," he said on Thursday when he opened the fourth Diocesan Synod of the Church at the Adisadel College in Cape Coast. The theme for the synod is "Going the extra mile for quality human life - church and state complementing each other." Bishop Allotey said: "The spate of exploitation of the vulnerable in society must stop", and called on church leaders to relentlessly and constantly seek the common good of their members. Bishop Allotey urged the church to partner the state to fight social vices such as corruption, cyberfraud, tribal, religious and political conflicts, indiscipline on the roads and indecent dressing. The church and the state, he said, should also pursue an agenda that would ensure quality of life for all, and the citizen motivated to work hard and live morally upright lives. On socio-economic development activities of the diocese, Bishop Allotey said another eye care centre had been established at Denkyira-Dominase in addition to the Christian Eye Centre in Cape Coast, while soap factories were being set up at Apam and Diaso. The Central Regional Minister, Mrs. Ama Benyiwa Doe, in a statement read for her, commended the church for its numerous contributions to education, health care and job creation to complement government's efforts in securing quality life for all. The Headmaster of Adisadel College, Herbert Graham, said academic performance and discipline at the college, which was established by the Anglican Church, had improved considerably. Source: Times/Ghana