Prophecy assessment not to stifle worship – Afriyie Ankrah

• Posted on August 11, 2025August 11, 2025
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Presidential Envoy for the Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations Office, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has defended a new directive requiring religious leaders to submit prophecies of national significance for official review.

In a letter issued on Sunday, August 10, 2025, the office urged clergy across the country to formally present any prophecy or spiritual insight relating to high-profile political leaders, governance, national security, or public stability to its office for urgent assessment.

This comes in the wake of viral videos on social media following the August 6 helicopter crash that killed eight people, including two cabinet ministers.

In the videos, some self-proclaimed men of God claimed they had foreseen the crash in visions and issued warnings that were ignored.

Speaking in an interview with Accra-based Joy FM on Monday, August 11, Mr. Afriyie Ankrah stressed that the measure was not aimed at stifling religious expression, but rather at safeguarding national stability.

“Every man of God, a prophet, has every right to prophesy about any and everything they choose to. There is no problem about that,” he said.

“But when it concerns the President, Vice President, senior government officials, or carries serious security implications, it should be formally shared with my office for urgent review and appropriate action.”

Quoting scripture, he cited First Thessalonians 5:20-21 — “Do not treat prophecies with contempt, but test them all. Hold on to what is good” — and First John 4:1, which urges believers to “test the spirits.”

“The Bible actually encourages review… All things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial,” he explained.

Mr. Afriyie Ankrah said the directive seeks to ensure that revelations are handled responsibly to prevent unnecessary panic and to enable proactive responses.

“This is not about negativity. It’s about ensuring that whatever God reveals can be acted upon in a way that protects the country and honours the responsibility that comes with spiritual insight. Whether it’s a prophecy, vision, or revelation, everything begins and ends with prayer.”

He illustrated the gravity of such prophecies with an example:

“Can you imagine if a prophet in America said Air Force One was going to crash? The kind of actions would immediately follow? We don’t want to get to that point.”

The Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations Office said it will work closely with religious leaders to ensure that national security considerations are balanced with the constitutional right to freedom of worship.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) said it has not yet received formal communication from the Office of the Presidential Envoy for Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations regarding the proposed review of prophecies of national significance.