The President of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church, North Ghana Union, Dr Kwame Annor Boahen, has ordered the closure of the Acts 2000 local SDA Church at Manhyia, in Kumasi.
He has since Monday, August 14, 2023, banned prayers at the local church where he preaches.
Dr Boahen has engaged some Police Officers to guard the premises and prevent prayer groups from entering.
He is accusing the Prayer Ministry and Elders of the Church of not conducting church service in the right manner.
He also explained that the Prayer Ministry had adopted the Charismatic and Pentecostal way of praying, which does not conform to Adventist practices and doctrine.
The Senior Adventist pastor claims leaders of the prayer group had turned the Ministry into a money-making venture and are thus extorting monies from unsuspecting members for personal gains and selfish ambitions.
He expressed surprise at the showing of spiritual and supernatural powers during ministering and prayers, as well as indulging in the practice of bathing women, besides sprinkling water.
He believes these practices are alien to the beliefs of the SDA and must be guarded against to avoid the emergence of splinter groups in the church.
Last Wednesday, prayer groups that converged from across the district for prayers between 8.30 am and noon were prevented from entering the premises and were compelled to hold prayers on the adjoining streets.
But the elders and leaders have debunked his claim, saying it is unfounded.
They explained that Dr Boahen’s action is an attempt to cover up alleged financial malfeasance under his administration and acts that point to the denunciation of the SDA faith by disregarding the Sabbath as an Adventist and celebrating his retirement on his 60th birthday, at a public event at the Rattray Park on Saturday, July 1, 2023.
Following his complaints, the Manhyia Divisional Police Commander, DSP Zakaria, summoned a meeting between the pastor and the elders last Wednesday to settle the impasse and avert a possible clash.
The meeting was attended by Elders C.K. Agyapong, Daniel Kofi Berchie, S.W Donor, Joseph Kennedy and Clifford Sarfo on one side, with Dr Annor Boahen and Elder Ernest Boadu on the other side.
The embattled Head Pastor (Dr Annor Boahen), however, admitted during the meeting that he had not explored all the available channels to address the situation.
The meeting noted that the decision to close down the local Church at Manhyia was arbitrary, contrary to the administrative structures of the church.
The Pastor also admitted at the said meeting with the Police Commander that he did not follow laid down procedure in handling the impasse and that no communiqué had been issued by the Conference for deliberation and action at the Union and local church levels.
The concerned church elders have appealed to the Conference to deal with the issue diligently and dispassionately to enable the prayer groups to continue with prayer sessions to save souls.
As a result, the Manhyia Police Commander has ordered Dr Boahen to re-open the Manhyia local Church and do the needful by bringing the situation to the attention of the Conference, who might either sanction a closure or settle the misunderstanding, devoid of any confrontation.
Meanwhile, Dr. Annor Boahen has declined to comment on the issue at the alleged instance of his lawyer.He told The Chronicle that he had been advised not to comment on the issue until a communiqué had been issued by the appropriate authority to address the concerns of both sides.
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