Presidential Envoy for the Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations Office, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has strongly defended a new directive requiring religious leaders to submit prophecies of national importance for official review, describing the move as a necessary step to protect national stability, not a restriction on religious freedom.
In a statement released on Sunday, August 10, 2025, the Interfaith Office called on religious leaders across the country to formally present any prophecy or spiritual message that relates to high-level political figures, national governance, security, or public order for immediate assessment by the appropriate authorities.
This directive comes in the aftermath of the tragic August 6 helicopter crash that claimed eight lives, including two cabinet ministers.
The tragedy sparked a wave of viral videos in which several self-proclaimed prophets claimed to have foreseen the incident but said their warnings were disregarded.
Speaking in an interview on Monday, August 11, Mr. Afriyie Ankrah clarified that the directive is not intended to silence spiritual voices but to ensure that prophetic revelations with potential national consequences are treated with the seriousness they deserve.
“Every man or woman of God has the right to share what they believe has been revealed to them, however, when such revelations involve the President, Vice President, senior government officials, or have serious implications for national security, they must be submitted to our office for urgent review and possible action,” he stated.
Citing biblical principles, he referenced 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 to see whether they are from God.”
“The Bible itself encourages scrutiny and discernment, all things are lawful, but not all things are beneficial. This is about responsible stewardship of spiritual insight,” he explained.
Mr. Afriyie Ankrah emphasised that the directive is designed to prevent misinformation, unnecessary fear, or missed opportunities to act in the national interest.
To illustrate the potential consequences of unvetted prophecies, he posed a hypothetical scenario: “Imagine if a prophet in the United States publicly claimed that Air Force One was going to crash. The response would be swift, and rightly so. We must also be proactive, not reactive”.
The Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations Office assured that it will work closely with religious bodies to maintain a balance between national security concerns and the constitutional right to freedom of worship.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) has acknowledged the development but stated that it has yet to receive formal communication from the Interfaith Office regarding the new protocol.
