Attacks On Pastor Otabil �Unfortunate�� � Lawyer

Legal practitioner, Yaw Oppong, has described as unfortunate, criticisms against the General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church for demanding a new leadership response to the country�s current economic challenges. Pastor Mensah Otabil last Thursday likened Ghana to a sinking ship, which needs a �decisive captain," rather than an �overconfident� one, to steer the rudder out of the midst of �icebergs� to safety. �Our ship is going down and we can�t pretend it�s a party,� he told a gathering at the �Festival of Ideas� programme in Accra. According to the Ghanaian lawyer, Dr. Otabil's description of the current economic crisis was apt. He hit the nail right on the head. Speaking on Citi FM�s The Big Issue on Saturday, Mr. Oppong slammed government for the barrage of criticisms and the name calling by some officials against the preacher. The legal practitioner admonished government to take the views of the renowned Ghanaian pastor in good faith. Adding that �Dr. Otabil�s statements are the reality on the ground��. Pastor Otabil�s comments have attracted strong condemnation from government officials including the Communications Minister, Dr. Omane Boamah, who described Dr. Otabil�s statements as �unfortunate.� Another panelist on the show financial consultant, Sidney Casely Hayford, also chastised government for being in self-denial about Ghana�s challenges. He opined that the only way Ghana can emerge from its current economic dilemma is for President John Mahama and his appointees to accept the realistic challenges confronting the nation and quickly institute measures to solve them.