Chief of Staff Julius Debrah has publicly apologised to the leadership of the Church of Pentecost over comments made by Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA) Chief Executive Officer Dr Mary Awusi, which sparked widespread criticism after she appeared to threaten the church’s chairman over his stance on illegal mining.
Debrah rendered the apology on Sunday at the Pentecost International Worship Centre (PIWC) branch in Trassaco, where he attended a thanksgiving service to mark his 60th birthday. Visibly moved, he appealed directly to Apostle Dr Eric Nyamekye and the broader church for forgiveness, describing Awusi’s remarks as an unintended lapse.
“A few days ago, one of our colleagues slipped a bit against you,” Debrah said. “I want on this occasion to let the whole church forgive us. It was just a slip. It wasn’t intentionally done to malign our church. I believe sincerely that you forgive her and forgive us and accept us as your children.”
He acknowledged that several senior government officials, including Local Government Minister Ahmed Ibrahim, are members of the denomination, underlining the importance of the relationship between the administration and the church.
The apology follows days of escalating public pressure on the government. Awusi had already issued her own apology on Friday, April 24, on Accra FM, the same platform where her original remarks were made, saying that in expressing her opinion she may have made remarks that were not well received, and offering her regrets.
The controversy began after Apostle Nyamekye, speaking at the Church of Pentecost’s 48th General Conference on April 22, raised the alarm that galamsey had contaminated water bodies to such an extent that some communities could no longer conduct traditional water baptism, forcing a shift to rubber pools. Awusi responded in a radio interview, warning the church chairman to stay out of what she characterised as political commentary, and suggesting he would be treated as a politician if he continued.
The Africa Institute on Governance and Security (AIGS) had written to the Chief of Staff on April 24, warning that public attacks on religious leaders by state officials risk undermining social cohesion and weakening the government’s own anti-galamsey campaign.
Debrah’s intervention, offered in a church setting and accompanied by visible emotion, appears designed to draw a line under the episode and restore goodwill between the Mahama administration and one of Ghana’s most influential religious bodies.
