SDA Member Sacked ...for Exposing Corruption

A MEMBER of the Ashanti New Town (AshTown) branch of the SDA church in Kumasi has been shown the exit from the church for opening his mouth too wide.

Mr. James Baffour Gyau has since January 11, this year, been "disfellowshipped" for referring to elders of the church as corrupt.

According to Mr. Boakye Yiadom, secretary of the Church Board, they (Board) saw Gyau's reference to elected leaders and elders of the church as an insult.

The secretary explained that the Board's decision is in accordance with Articles 7 and 9 of the church manual.

Pointing to the rot in the church, Gyau who claimed he had been victimised for speaking the truth cited elders Kyere and Tawiah as selling some properties belonging to the church.

He itemised these as iron rods, two back axles, pieces of building equipment, speakers, doors and frames.

Gyau said in spite of protests, the Project Committee had kept mute over the issue by asking them to pay a much lesser amount for the 'stolen' items.

Kyere and Tawiah and their accomplices had also not been sanctioned.

Gyau has accordingly protested against his marching orders claiming the accused (Kyere and Tawiah) should have been "disfellowshipped" for fraud instead of him getting the sack.

"The Board's decision is premature and unacceptable issues were not fully resolved."

He sees activities of Kyere and Tawiah as criminal act, stealing and fraud and must be dealt with accordingly.

Embittered Gyau also made references to immoral acts among some named members of which the church has turned blind eye upon several reports and evidence.

Gyau has called for an interim committee to handle the affairs of the church while full scale investigations are conducted into the raised concerns.

He also called on the District SDA to restrain the AshTown church from holding elections until allegations of financial impropriety against the named elders and connivance of the Board are properly investigated.