The National Day of Fasting and Prayer declared by President Nana Akufo-Addo for March 25, was patronized by both Christians and Muslims in Ghana by praying the ten-pointed prayer guide prepared the Ministry of Culture and Religious Affairs on most social media platforms, television and Radio.
While the millions of Ghanaians joined the Prayer and Fasting through television, radio and social media and some individually at homes and work places, to seek God’s divine intervention, the sad news was broken by the Ministry of Health of the increases of the cases from 53 to 68 with three deaths.
The Day was purposely declared by the President to commit the nation into the maternal hands of God and to seek divine assistance in ending the scourge of COVID-19 in the West African Nation and across the world.
Presidential declaration
President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in an address to the nation on Saturday, March 21, 2020 declared March 25, 2020 a National Prayer and Fasting Day during which pleaded with Ghanaians “to pray for the intervention of the Lord whilst following the measures outlined to curtail the spread of the virus in the country and world at large as the number of recorded cases keeps going up.”
“Whilst we continue to adhere to these measures and ramp up our efforts to defeat this virus, I urge all of us also to seek the face of the Almighty. So, on Wednesday, 25th March 2020, I appeal to all Ghanaians – Christians and Muslims to observe a national day of fasting and prayer. Let us pray to God to protect our nation and save us from this pandemic,” he said.
In view of this, Religious leaders also issued statements directing all their flocks to join the state in observing this nationwide spiritual exercise to avert the unfortunate situation which has brought the world to its knees.
Prayer points
As part of the Prayer and Fasting Day, the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs of Ghana prepared ten-point prayer points for both Christians and Muslims with quotations from the Bible and Quran used by all Ghanaian and Muslim leads especially on Television, radio and Social media while many also prayed individually at homes and workplaces.
The Bible gives many accounts of nations and people, who in their crises, humbled themselves in fasting and prayers, sought the face of God and had answers to their prayer requests and victory over their enemies.
The Prayer points were largely prayed on Radio, television and Social Media include Thanksgiving for peace the nation has enjoyed so far; the forgiveness of sins on behalf of the nation and world at large; God’s intervention to stop coronavirus pandemic; protection of the healthcare team in Ghana and world and that God give medics and scientists the needed wisdom and knowledge to develop vaccines that can combat the coronavirus as soon as possible.
The rest are a prayer to God to heal those affected with the coronavirus; God and Allah will use this pandemic to draw people in Ghana and the world closer to Him; God/Allah will use this pandemic to strengthen all families in Ghana and the world; prayer against any intention of the devil to manipulate the current situation against Christianity and god-fearing people in Ghana and the world; and finally Wisdom for the President and other leaders as they take appropriated timely decisions in managing the pandemic for the good of the nation as a whole.
With regard to fasting, it is one of the cardinal obligations of both Christians and Muslims, which they observe, especially in times of challenges and difficulties. It is a period of humbling oneself before God, denying the flesh its pleasurable demands and asking for His divine favour.
With about 70 percent of Ghana’s population professing the Christian faith and a significant population of Muslims, Ghanaians expressed passion about their belief in God as a higher power with the ability to direct their affairs and solve their problems for them.
Social Media Inundated with prayers
In the meantime, many social media platforms were also inundated with prayers and fasting to seek the face of the Almighty God for mercy and healing as the country battles with the fear and spread of the deadly Coronavirus, with some shared individual prayers on social media calling on ‘the lamb of God’, ‘healer’, ‘Abba Father’, ‘Throne of mercy’, and ‘The God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’ to save the world from the dreadful pandemic.
“God we pray for the favor you bestowed on the Virgin Mary to be our portion as a nation that stand before you today in prayer. We pray that the Holy Spirit would overshadow the nation, hear our prayer & heal our land. Give us a vaccine and a cure, prayed Ken Ashigbey, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Chamber of Telecommunication and Parishioner of St. Theresa’s Parish in Accra.
He invoked God to “Protect the frontline health staff, comfort the dying, heal the infected, protect those not infected, grant wisdom to the President to take the right decision & to us citizens to take the right decisions, adding that “For God with You nothing is impossible. Grant us faith in Your Son Jesus Christ as we pray. May His Blood mark and sanctify us our Lord and our God.”
Some other social media prayers monitored my newwatchgh.com included “Let your peace be with us this moment, let your peace be with us tomorrow and forever. May you hear our cry as you did to the Prophet in the days of Israelites?
The General Overseer of the Perez Chapel, Bishop Charles Agyinasare during one of the prayer session appealed to Ghanaians to take the national prayer and fasting seriously against the coronavirus outbreak. The renowned man of God said, at this point, the only thing we can depend on is God, saying that” countries such as the United States, China, Italy and others with strong health systems, economies had been hit hardest by the deadly coronavirus” and encouraged “Ghanaians to also adhere to the safety protocols aside from the prayers to ensure the virus does not spread.”
“What we need now is God. Our only hope now is to pray whiles we adhere to the safety measures in place. The wealthy countries such as the United States, China, Italy and others are unable to manage the situation. Ghana will have difficulties should we be hit like the others and so, we have to pray and ask God to intervene. We have to prayers seriously,” he admonished.
Two day fast for Muslims
The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharabutu as part of the national day of Prayer declared a two-day fast for all Muslims across the country. “The National Chief Imam Sheikh Dr. Osman Nuhu Sharubutu wishes to draw the attention of all followers of the Islamic faith in Ghana that the President of the Republic of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo has declared Wednesday, March 25, 2020 as National day of fasting and prayer,” a statement from the spokesperson read.
“…Muslims of all sects are entreated to support the presidential call… Beyond tomorrow’s [Wednesday] special national fasting, the National Chief Imam has further urged Muslims to observe another fast on Thursday, March 26.”
Solemnity of Annunciation for Catholics
For Catholics as March 25 commemorates the Solemnity of the Annunciation when many Christians remember the Archangel Gabriel’s announcement to the Virgin Mary of the Incarnation of the Word, the church in Ghana under the patronage of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference also joined in observing a nationwide fasting and prayer with online Masses and by committing the nation to the maternal hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary through the praying of the Rosary. They also joining the Christianity community to pray the Lord’s Prayer at 12:00noon to seek God’s intervention amidst the uncertainties sprouting up as directed by the Holy Father.
As the Pope has asked Christians around the world to unite in praying the Our Father prayer at 12;00 noon on March 25 in response to the coronavirus pandemic, many Catholics in Ghana also joined the Pope on EWTN and as well as on social media as monitored by Newswatchgh.com
