Speaker Oquaye leads Ghana Parliament to pray against Coronavirus

Parliament on Wednesday went solemn when it prayed against the pandemic coronavirus (COVID-19) that has befallen Ghana and the entire world.

For over one hour, the chamber of the House, where serious debates take place, was virtually turned into a church room with fervent prayers said for the country in particular and the world as a whole by both Christian and Muslim members of Parliament (MPs). Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Aaron Mike Oquaye, a Reverend Minister himself, steered the affairs of the prayer session.

It all started when at about 12:10, the Speaker called the MPs attention to the impending prayer session for the observance of the National Day of Prayer and Fasting as had been declared by the President Nana Akufo-Addo. He then asked Hon. Emmanuel Bedzerah, MP for Ho West who also doubles as the President of the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship (PCF) to read a statement on the programme.

The statement called on Ghanaians to repent of all their sins and call on God, for forgiveness because God is ready to forgive them for their sins and heal them of their diseases (COVID 19) which has plagued the country.

After, the Speaker called on Ebenezer Ahuma Djietror, Clerk in charge of the Table Office of Parliament to start the praying session via a short exhortation. Djietror pointed out that ideally, apart from MPs, no one is allowed to speak on the floor of the chamber when sitting is in session. However, since “we are in extra-ordinary times, we will do the extra-ordinary”, he stated.  A Reverend Minister, Djietror’s exhortation was on National Deliverance and healing, basing his sermon on Ps 74. In a powerful but solemn mood, he prayed fervently, noting that the whole world had been caught up in a helpless situation by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it was only God who could save mankind from this terrible situation.

Then followed prayers by the Majority Leader, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, Hon. Seth Acheampong, Vice President of the PCF, The Acting Clerk to Parliament, Cyril K. O. Nsiah, Hon Helen Ntoso, MP for Krachi West and Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah on behalf of Christians.

After, came prayers from the Muslim group comprising Hon. Inusah Fuseini, MP for Tamale Central, Hon. Mohammed Gunu, MP for Savelugu Hon. Boniface Abu-Bakar Sadique, (Madina) with the Minority Leader, Hon. Haruna Iddrissu, concluding.

In all these, the House went solemn with both Christians and Muslim MPs observing solemnity as if they were in the church or mosque.

The speaker then concluded the prayer session. The prayers were based on thanksgiving for answered prayers and peace in the nation, (Ps 103:1 – 3, Phil. 4:6) forgiveness of sins, (2^nd Chr. 7:14) God’s intervention to stop the epidemic (Ps. 91:3, 50:15) Protection of Health Care workers in Ghana (Ps. 46:1 – 3) for God to give medics and scientists the needed knowledge to develop vaccines to combat the epidemic as soon as possible (Luke 1:37, Exodus 31:1 – 3).

Other prayer topics were, that God heals those infected with the corona virus (Ps 103:3; Isaiah 54:8), that God will use this pandemic to draw all people in Ghana and the World to Himself (Numbers 21:4 – 9, John 3:14 – 15), that God will use this pandemic to strengthen all families in Ghana and the World (Romans 8:28).

The rest were, prayers against any intention of the devil to manipulate the current situation against Christianity and God- fearing people in Ghana and the World (Ephesians 6:10 – 17; Isaiah 54:16 – 17) and prayer for wisdom for the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo – Addo and other national leaders as they take appropriate and timely decisions in managing the pandemic for the good of the nation as a whole (1 Tim 2:1 – 4) with Isaiah 58:3 – 9) as supplementary reading.

Source: S. O. Ankamah