Ghana Marks National Day of Prayer: Pentecost Chairman Urges Nation to 'Settle Down and Build'

By KBN News

As Ghana marked Republic Day on July 1, the nation paused for its annual National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving — a day of spiritual reflection, national unity, and gratitude established by President John Dramani Mahama.

Speaking at the forecourt of the State House, Mahama urged Ghanaians at every level, from national leaders to the youth, to uphold integrity, unity, and responsibility in the work of building the nation. Nation-building, he said, is a shared duty, and he called for a collective commitment to honesty, service, and disciplined effort.

The day's message was anchored by Apostle Eric Nyamekye, President of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) and Chairman of the Church of Pentecost, who preached on the theme "Resetting our values to build the Ghana we want," drawing from Jeremiah 29:3-8. He opened by acknowledging past presidents and the sitting president for establishing the national day of prayer.

Nyamekye pressed the nation's leaders to think beyond electoral cycles.

"Let our politicians run Ghana not on manifesto and campaign promises," he said. "Ghana is not going to end tomorrow, so our planning should not end [in] four years. Let's settle down. We shouldn't be in a hurry to be like America without laying the right foundations. Maybe it is time to settle down and begin to build. There is hope for the future; only let us settle down and do our part, and God will breathe upon our efforts and turn them great."

Drawing on Matthew 12:33, the apostle referenced sociologist Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, which attributed the development of northern and central Europe to the values its people held — among them a willingness to live for the long term, even for eternity, sacrificing short-term gain while keeping the next generation in mind. Where those ideals took root — in North America, Australia, and New Zealand — they bore fruit, he said, adding that a Ghana that wishes to resemble such nations should admire not only their fruit but the foundation on which it was built.

"Leadership is not about solving problems, but a contagious vision that drives people toward a planned destination," he said.

What the country ultimately needs, Nyamekye said, is "a new Ghanaian," because every other concern centres on the individual. He outlined several steps toward that renewal: first, renewing the mind and turning away from all forms of wickedness; second, education to curb corruption, unemployment, and a lack of patriotism; third, a church focused on raising righteous people; and fourth, raising family altars in Christian homes again.

The programme drew together Ghanaians of various persuasions, including Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, alongside religious leaders, musicians, politicians, clergy, and representatives of the political parties, the judiciary, Parliament, and the executive.