SAM JONAH: Many Ghanaians believe prayer is the solution to problems

Ghanaian business mogul and current chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Sir Sam Jonah has said many Ghanaians believe solutions to socio-economic problems lie in prayer and divine intervention.

Sam Jonah believes although faith is an integral part of the Ghanaian culture, it must not discourage critical thinking, personal responsibility and accountability.

He was speaking at the Graphic National Development Series on Tuesday( 5 November) under the theme “A Critical Look at Education and Culture in Ghana to Chart a Course for National Development, Peace, and Our Collective Prosperity.”

”Many Ghanaians believe that the solutions to financial, health, and societal problems lie not in application of mental resources nor hard work nor innovation but in prayer and divine intervention. While faith is an integral part of our culture, it becomes problematic when it discourages critical thinking, personal responsibility and accountability.

Mindset

”This mindset is reinforced from pulpits and accepted without question by many, including the elite. This belief system keeps the majority trapped in cycles of poverty, often exploited by unscrupulous figures who promise prosperity while siphoning resources and diverting focus from constructive solutions.”

”The dependency mindset manifests in other ways, too. Citizens contribute generously to build churches while schools and hospitals remain in disrepair. This mentality, that prayer alone will solve our problems, must change if we are to foster genuine development,” he said.

Prayers

He added “No serious observer of our society can deny that a large number of our people believe that an effective way of solving our financial, health and other societal problems is not by thinking and working but by appealing to the Almighty.” – AsaaseNews