The committee exercises oversight responsibility for the Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Ministry, which has been criticized by some sections of the public over the pilgrimage.

[contextly_sidebar id=”xhfjXGKvcD2XeEOVhSS4j4P7xPiLYaD6″]Speaking to Citi News‘ Duke Mensah Opoku, the Chairman of the Committee and MP for Mpohor, Alex Kofi Agyekum, said he had spoken with the director of the ministry and was told that “ the whole exercise is an innovation by the Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Ministry.”

Mr. Agyekum said the concerns raised by the public had not fallen on deaf ears because “we as a committee, when we hear of such public agitation, our duty is to call for them [Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Ministry] to brief us about the whole modalities.”

The meeting with the director was the first step towards inviting them to the committee, according to the MP, who added that, what was left for his committee to do was to “just officially invite them to the committee for us to be informed officially about such a programme.”

In terms of financial commitment, Mr. Agyekum noted that, the budget his committee approved for the Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Ministry did not have any allocation for the facilitation of the pilgrimage.

“Their facilitation is not going to let them delve into an approved budget by the government because the budget Parliament approved for them has specific and strict areas that they are supposed to spend on,” he stated.

The Christian pilgrimage is set to take place on July 15, 2017, with 100 participants. Amidst the criticism from the public, the Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Minister, Kofi Dzamesi, has stressed that government is not paying for the pilgrimage.

He first indicated that, his Ministry would only be playing a facilitation role in the pilgrimage that will see participants pay $2,700 per person.

The fee will cater for air fares, hotel bills, insurance, tour facilities, food among others.

The Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Ministry has set up two sub-committees to handle the facilitation; the Planning and Screening Committees which are composed of members of recognized Christian bodies although a respectable body, the Christian Council of Ghana has noted it is not interested in such events.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Parliament to summon Chieftaincy Ministry over Christian Pilgrimage appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Minister, Kofi Dzamesi, has however stressed that “government is not paying any money” with regards to this pilgrimage.

[contextly_sidebar id=”IO6av9qjnGA0XcjuzLCAlzxr1gYsntsJ”]In a Citi News interview, he indicated that his Ministry would only be playing a facilitation role.

In line with this, the Ministry set up two sub-committees; the Planning and Screening Committees which are composed of members of recognized Christian bodies.

“The facilitation is that, there is an amount of money you bring and that will take care of your tickets, your hotel bills, insurance, the tour guides, the bus, the food etc. So for everything that will make you go and come back without any problem, the Ministry facilitates that.”

The government has noted that, the initiative and the agreed fee for the pilgrimage per person is $2,700.

Nonetheless, the decision to send 100 pilgrims to Israel has been described by critics as a misplaced priority, and the Christian Council of Ghana, for instance, has distanced itself from the process, saying it does not want taxpayers to bear such costs.

But Mr. Dzamesi also told Citi News there’s not much government can do to stop the process because the first batch of pilgrims will leave soon.

“On 15^th of July, we will be doing what has been termed as a pilot project. We are going with about 100 people. I will lead that group of people and we will go to Israel.”

On activities expected to take place, the Minister said, “once we are there, we will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Tourism and the Minister of Religious Affairs in Israel and our Ministry.”

Mr. Dzamesi also reminded that, individual Christians are also free to embark on their own pilgrimages if they do not want government’s help.

“We are not against any organisation or church that wants to do that. They can go ahead and do that. It is always the best for the government to facilitate these things and make them easier, but if people think they have an easier way for them to go and come, so be it.”

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By: Eugenia Tenkorang/Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post First batch of Christian pilgrims to jet off on July 15 appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has come under intense criticism after it announced the policy last Friday. Government committees will plan and oversee the trips for the Christian community.

[contextly_sidebar id=”8eM2f4lUPRbcelwF6AwSMixMjZKtEjBb”]But there is seeming opposition to the policy, as some Ghanaians shared their opinions with Citi News.

“The government cannot continue to sponsor these things. A time will come there will be a problem and this can bring religious conflict. So government should not get involved in these kinds of religious practices,” a Ghanaian said.

Another also said: “I don’t think it’s fair because with religion I know that they don’t pay taxes so they should sponsor themselves.”

Another Ghanaian noted that,  “I have never believed in government doing same for the Muslims so they should do it for the Christians. I think we have a better understanding of our faith than that. At least it’s not one of our faiths that you need to visit Israel in your lifetime.”

Some civil society organisations as well as the clergy in a Citi News interview, urged government to reconsider the policy.

Franklin Cudjoe of the policy think tank, IMANI Ghana, said the policy indicates that “clearly the Ministry for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has no job to do.”

“If the ministry wants to be a travel and tour agency, they should say so. There are many travel and tour agencies that organize pilgrimages to Israel every year. I cannot believe that a whole Ministry would think that they want to organize trips. They need to get serious,” he added.

The General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, Rev. Opuni Frimpong, also explained that such an idea was pitched to them in 2012 by the Mahama government but they rejected it.

According to him, they are not yet ready to back track.

“We had that invitation sometime ago around 2012 during former President John Mahama’s administration and the Christian Council of Ghana together with the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference and I believe the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic’s also made that decision that while we would want our members to visit holy sites like Israel, Vatican and other places, we wouldn’t want such trips to be a burden on the Ghanaian taxpayer.”

“We have not changed our position. What will go into facilitation of such trips we don’t know; but whatever will cost Ghanaian taxpayer any cost for church leaders to make such trips, we have a position that we will not accept it; and because we took that decision collectively together, we wouldn’t want government to fund our trips,” he added.

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By: Sixtus Don Ullo/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Some Ghanaians reject gov’t sponsorship of Christian pilgrimage       appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Samuel Kofi Dzamesi, made the announcement at a press conference yesterday in Accra.

[contextly_sidebar id=”8U1R58jon3SFoZ5pueNw3AMDk71EUaSv”]According to him, the ministry has set up two separate committees namely, Planning and Screening Committees, to oversee the operations of Christian pilgrimage in the country.

“Let me assure you that we intend to have an eventful pilgrimage. In view of this, the ministry has set up two sub-committees which are the Planning and Screening Committees which are composed of members of recognized Christian bodies,” he said.

He explained that government was in talks with the state of Israel to ensure that a special quota is given to Ghanaian pilgrims.

“Once the initial programme is successful in accordance with the key indicators, the Republic of Ghana shall be given a quota for subsequent pilgrimages. It is necessary that we secure an understanding of the quotas,” the minister stated.

He indicated that “…the initial and agreed fee for the pilgrimage per person is $2,700,” cautioning interested pilgrims not to make payment to any individual or organization except the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs.

On the highlights of the programme for the pilgrimage, the minister disclosed that there would be daily prayers and meditation at important and significant sites mentioned in the Bible, boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, worship on MT Camel, the mountain of the prophet Elijah, renewal of wedding promises in the Church of the Miracle of Cana.

Also, the minister said there would be “prayer at the Western Wall of the Temple of Jerusalem, visit to the Nativity Church of Bethlehem, renewal of baptismal promises in the river Jordan, ceremony of the awarding of Jerusalem Pilgrim Certificate.”

Mr. Kofi Dzamesi pointed out, “The pilgrimage programme of the ministry is not to the State of Israel only, but would cover countries where Christian pilgrimages are undertaken.”

Minister of Information, Mustapha Hamid, said the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs would ensure that the pilgrimage was undertaken in an organized and systematic manner.

General Overseer of the Glorious Word Power Ministry, Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah, speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the press conference, praised the government for introducing the organized and systemized pilgrimage initiative.

He noted that the amount being requested by the government would cover plane tickets, hotel bills, food, drinks and bus fares of pilgrims.

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By: Bridget Boateng & Melvin Tarlue/Daily Guide

The post Gov’t to begin overseeing Christian pilgrimages appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.