Popular fetish priest Kwaku Bonsam says he is willing to serve as President of the proposed National Shrine if government goes ahead to construct it.
The Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious AffairsSamuel Kofi Dzamesi has said government will not rule out the possibility of establishing a national shrine.
According to him, some traditional groups have been canvassing for a national shrine and government will explore the possibility of constructing one.
“Since I took office, as I said, we have a national mosque and now we are in the process of building a national cathedral. And few times, some traditional groupings have also approached me. There was a group of Wulomɛi [Ga Traditional Priests] who also approached me and actually asked for a traditional shrine,” he disclosed at the Meet the Press series Wednesday.
He continued: “I think that since the constitution allows freedom of worship, we will study it very well and see how possible that will also be. We are not ruling out traditional shrines”.
Speaking in an interview, Mr.Bonsam said building the shrine will ensure fairness on religious front.
“We need a National Shrine also just like the Christians will have the National Cathedral. We also deserve it as citizens. When the National Shrine is built, we’ll need a leader and I’m ready to take on that task as a President of the National Shrine Association. The traditionalists have lots of herbs we can use to heal sicknesses. Enough of the foreign drugs,” he said.
Meanwhile, a lecturer of religion at the University of Ghana Ben Willie Golo has asked government not engage in matters of faith.
“Government shouldn’t be biting more than it can chew. Let’s leave religious structures to religious bodies to take care of. Just as Christians who are citizens are given a National Cathedral, other citizens of different faiths will also make demands. That is what we are seeing. This national thing that has to do with religion is not necessary in a circular Ghana if you ask me”.
