Gov’t facilitating Christian pilgrimage “bunkum” – Religious expert

A Religious Expert and Lecturer at the University of Ghana Dr. Ben Willie-Golo has condemned government’s decision to facilitate Christian pilgrimage to Israel and the Vatican City describing it as “reckless.”

According to him, the government has no business in organizing trips for Christian pilgrims and it should be an individual choice not a State-sponsored decision.

“Why will you want to push this? I mean don’t we have earnestly [something] doing with our resources,” he wondered during an interview Wednesday June 21, 2017 on Morning Starr.

“I’m not sure this is the kind of innovation [we want]. I think this is…just a kind of reckless talk. For me I heard it over the radio and I thought look, excuse me to use the word bunkum. It is a reckless talk. I mean it is unnecessary,” he told Morning Starr host Francis Abban.

Government, however, served notice that it is not backing down on its decision, insisting that arrangements are far advanced for the first batch to embark on the religious journey.

According to the Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Minister, Kofi Dzamesi, he will on July 15 lead a group of over hundred people embarking on the religious trip.

“And once we get there, we will sign a memorandum of understanding between the Ministries of Tourism, Interior and Religious Affairs of Israel and our Ministries for a better preparation towards future excursions,” he told the media.

As a result the parliament of Ghana hauled him to appear before it today to elucidate on the modalities surrounding the trip and to clarify if the state will be footing the bills.

But even before he appears before parliament, his deputy Paul Essien disclosed government is not making any form of financial contribution to a group of Christians embarking on the religious trip.