THE HALLELUJAH SIDE OF GHANA’S ECONOMY

As Ghana establishes the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams has called for national prayer, warning of opposition from powerful forces within the gold trade. While prayer itself is unobjectionable, the deeper question is whether it should be our first response to problems that demand competence, accountability, and hard work.

GoldBod now joins a long list of national institutions placed in God’s hands. But what exactly are we asking God to do that capable Ghanaians cannot do? If GoldBod faces smuggling, corruption, institutional resistance, or market manipulation, the solution lies with investigators, economists, regulators, security agencies, transparent systems, and competent managers. If powerful interests are undermining it, identify them, investigate them, and prosecute wrongdoing where evidence supports it. Close loopholes, strengthen borders, improve traceability, pay competent staff, remove incompetent ones, and make the institution accountable. If one believes in prayer, pray while doing all of that—that is a far more productive understanding of faith.

Does prayer actually work?

Intellectually, we must be honest. There is no scientific way to declare that God does not answer prayers—that is a theological claim. Equally, we cannot assert that a specific prayer caused an economic recovery or institutional survival without evidence. Historical examples are instructive: prayer did not prevent Ghana Airways from collapsing, did not solve recurring currency crises, did not fix long-term energy challenges, and decades of prayer have not eliminated Ghana’s major social and economic problems. Whatever one’s personal belief, these examples cannot reasonably prove that prayer alone substitutes for institutional and economic action. Perhaps we have misunderstood faith’s role entirely.

Maybe God already answered the prayer

The uncomfortable possibility is that God has already given us the tools we need. When an institution is failing, the divine answer may not be a miracle—it may be: “Use the brains I gave you.” This is not an argument against God; it is an argument against using God as an excuse for human incompetence.

Look at the countries we admire

Nations that face serious crises do not automatically turn to national prayer meetings. They think. And when someone demonstrably gets it wrong, they are replaced. Britain offers a useful example. In September 2022, Kwasi Kwarteng—British Chancellor of the Exchequer and son of Ghanaian immigrants—introduced a controversial “mini-budget” under Prime Minister Liz Truss. Markets reacted badly; the pound came under pressure. Kwarteng was removed after only 38 days. Britain did not need a prayer service to conclude the policy had failed. It changed the minister, reversed the policy, and brought in someone new. When the government continued to lose credibility, the Prime Minister also left. In one year, the UK had three Prime Ministers and four finance ministers—not because they prayed less, but because they acted.

So, should we stop praying?

No. Ghana does not lack churches, pastors, or prayer meetings. What Ghana often lacks is the courage to confront incompetence, reward competence, and hold people accountable. Perhaps the supreme being has already done His part. Perhaps the next prayer should be: “God, give us the wisdom to use the brains You gave us, and the courage to remove ourselves when we are not competent enough for the job.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: The author, Socrate Safo is a Ghanaian Film Director and culture advocate. He worked as a Creative Arts director at the National Commission on Culture