It is publicity the Presbyterian Church of Ghana would rather avoid, but since the perceived political leaning and pronouncements of out-gone Moderator, Right Reverend Professor Emmanuel Martey have landed in the public sphere, primenewsghana sought answers from the Presbyterian Church’s administrative office at Osu.
The recent debate was stoked when Right Reverend Professor Emmanuel Martey disclosed in a news conference that he rejected a $100,000 bribe plus a 4x4 wheel drive from a politician who also promised a plush house at Trassaco complete with a swimming pool to mellow on utterances which border on his political observations.
It is this claim which perhaps irritated former Public Relations Officer of the Presby Church, Dr. Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong, to reveal that Professor Emmanuel Martey was throwing dust in the eyes of the public since he is aware he courted favour from a political party, which isn’t the governing National Democratic Party.
In a Kasapa FM interview, the dismissed communicator rendered upon hearing Dr. Martey’s above reproach claim: “Today marks a sad day for the Christian religion, the statement from Prof Martey is one of the most unfortunate that I have heard in recent times, a leader should have ethical communication which will not escalate into violence. Jesus never talked this way. Prof Martey is speaking in the opposite way, when he came into office, he presented to us a statement from one of the strongest political party (parties), when we kicked against it, he sacked me", he narrated, adding that "In July 28, 2013, around 8:15pm, he invited me to the office of one of the leading opposition parties not the ruling government, when I got there he had received the $100,000 and a V8 he is claiming to have rejected. And he gave me 50,000 dollars, I am speaking on authority that he received the money.â€
Opinions have been divided as to who is offering the truth with some contending, Professor Martey had shown an affinity to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) per his favourable statements while jabbing the government while others contend a disgraced Public Relations Officer (P.R.O) of the church was in to soil the outgoing moderator’s name.
When this writer visited the Presby administrative quarters at Osu in Accra and engaged Reverend Martin Ofori, Secretary to the Moderator on the current debacle, he declined to share his views on the perceived political procurements of Professor Martey and equally declined to reiterate on the basis on which Dr. Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong was also dismissed in 2013.
What he however offered was the date by which the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) sent notice to media houses announcing the dismissal of former Public Relations Officer Dr. Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong and drew attention on the date Akyeampong claims to have been in the company of the retired moderator when they visited the opposition politician’s office for the $100,000 and a V8 car bribe of which professor offered him $50,000 dollars which declined.
Although Reverend Martin Ofori did not offer judgment on the former P.R.O., the implied stance was that here was a man whose word could not be trusted.
Checks by primenewsghana revealed the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), issued a strongly-worded disclaimer to media houses regarding its former Public Relations Officer Dr. Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong on June 21, 2013, signed by the Clerk of the General Assembly of the Church, Rev. Dr. Samuel Ayete-Nyampong.
The statement alleged that Dr. Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong’s appointment as the Public Relations Officer (P.R.O.) of the Church was lawfully terminated due to acts of misrepresentation and fraud.
Acting P.R.O. of the church in 2013, Rev. Lawyer George Obeng Agyei also told the media, the Council terminated the appointment of its former Public Relations Officer because of alleged fraudulent acts.
In his latest reported interview, Dr. Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong, asserted he was invited by Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey in July 28, 2013, around 8:15pm, to the office of one of the leading opposition parties key men where the $100,000 dollars and a V8 were offered to the vociferous church leader.
If the Presbyterian Church dismissed Akyeampong on June 21, 2013 and secretary to the moderator informs me, his dismissal was immediate, the question that arises is:
In what capacity did the dismissed Public Relations Officer get the supposed invite by Martey, 37 days after his separation from the church which was rancorous for that crucial and critical meeting with the opposition politician?
Akyeampong did claim in 2013 that he was dismissed because he questioned the dabblings of Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey in partisan politics and acceptance of certain inducements by a political group to cause public disaffection for their chief competitor.
If the recent counter claim by Akyeampong of Martey receiving the $100,000 and 4X4 is false, to what purpose would he seek to destroy the outgoing moderator and the church?
Could he also have pay masters who seek for him to destroy the credibility of Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey?
The public should want to know what the Presbyterian Church of Ghana’ position is on partisan political commentary of its elected officers.
While the debate rages on the claims and counter-claims regarding accepting inducements, perhaps the Presby Church will seize the opportunity to set the records straight for even though publicity is good, this raging exposure is one it could afford to avoid.
