Presidential Envoy for Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has defended the government’s directive for religious leaders to submit sensitive prophecies involving national leaders and critical security matters for review before making them public.
In an interview, Afriyie Ankrah dismissed claims that the move seeks to muzzle spiritual expression, describing it instead as a safeguard rooted in biblical principles.
Quoting 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21, “Do not treat prophecies with contempt, but test them all. Hold on to what is good” and 1 John 4:1, which urges believers to “test the spirits,” he argued that scripture supports the careful examination of revelations. “The Bible actually encourages review… All things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial,” he said.
The envoy explained that discerning and verifying prophecies was not a new concept, noting that mature Christian communities already assess revelations to confirm their authenticity and relevance. “Every man of God, a prophet, has every right to prophesy about any and everything they choose to. There is no problem about that,” he stressed. “But when it concerns the President, Vice President, senior government officials, or carries serious security implications, it should be formally shared with my office for urgent review and appropriate action.”
His remarks follow growing public debate after a helicopter crash last week claimed eight lives. In the aftermath, social media has been flooded with videos of individuals claiming to have predicted the tragedy, raising concerns over the government’s handling of such revelations.
Critics have questioned both the practicality of reviewing prophecies before public delivery and the potential for abuse by fraudulent “men of God.” Ghana has long grappled with the proliferation of self-styled prophets, some of whom have been exposed as exploiting followers for personal gain.
Addressing these concerns, Mr. Afriyie Ankrah said Ghana had “more than enough” credible spiritual leaders to help vet sensitive prophecies discreetly. He urged genuine prophets to engage behind the scenes to clarify their messages and explore interventions before making them public.
“This is not about negativity,” he said. “It’s about ensuring that whatever God reveals can be acted upon in a way that protects the country and honours the responsibility that comes with spiritual insight. Whether it’s a prophecy, vision, or revelation, everything begins and ends with prayer.”
Drawing a comparison, he asked: “Can you imagine if a prophet in America said Air Force One was going to crash? The kind of actions that would immediately follow? We don’t want to get to that point.”