The outgoing Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Martey has dismissed suggestions that the church supports a political party.

According to him, the church does not and will never support any political party.

Speaking to Joy News’ Maxwell Agbagba, the Moderator indicated that, “the presbyterian church of Ghana does not belong to any party and does not support any party.”

Rev. Martey’s comment is in reaction to criticisms that he has come under after he declared the church’s support for the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

This was after the presidential candidate sought the support of the church during its 16th General Assembly.

In a response to the request, the Moderator said “we are taking this seriously. For us, as a church, the Presbyterian Church is the oldest, existing church in this country. We will not sit down for newer churches and political parties to come and mess up our country."

“We will keep on praying for you, and for calling the Presbyterian Church into partnership, we will partner you to build Ghana… Nana, I wish you well. Your seriousness and experience. You have said you’re a Christian, so stay in your faith and you will be an overcomer,”  he told Nana Addo during the event.

This response has not gone down well with many who believe the Moderator is doing the bidding of the opposition party.
Some have even accused him of being a member of the NPP, but Rev. Martey denies this.

“We have seen governments over governments and the Presbyterian church at the moment is partnering the NDC government in the governance of our nation," he said.
“We have partnered all governments in the Fourth Republic. The church will partner every government that comes. So if the leadership of an opposition party comes and asks for our partnership we will support them,” he continued.

The Moderator stressed that there is no way he will sell his conscience to any political party, and the church is only playing its role as mandated.

For him, anyone who believes that he is supporting or is a member of any political party is “mentally retarded”, because “this is not done anywhere.”

The unauthorized trade of wayside fuel dealers in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi, is posing a threat to life and property.

Under the National Petroleum authority Act, Act 691 of 2005, it is illegal to sell petroleum products without a license, but wayside fuel dealers in the Region are enjoying a high patronage from both commercial and private motorists.

Section 32 (1) states,’’ A person, other than a person licensed under this Act, shall not (a) sell or offer for sale a petroleum product, or (b) be in possession of a petroleum product in quantities unreasonably in excess of that person's immediate requirement, or (c) receive a petroleum product for sale’’.

The provision does not apply to petty trading in kerosene.
This law is, however, being breached with impunity in Kumasi and other parts of the Ashanti Region.
In 2014 the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) embarked on a three-day exercise to clamp down on the illegal sale of petroleum products.

That effort appears to have made little or no impact as sales points spring up again amidst complaints from residents that their lives are being endangered.

They say these stations do not adhere to safety measures and they are having a field day and no one is checking them.
One of the dealers at Ahinsan who spoke to Luv News acknowledges the practice is dangerous but says he doesn’t know it is illegal.

Regarding the question of where they get their supplies from, the illegal dealers have been tight-lipped about it and are reluctant to disclose who brings them fuel.

When Luv News contacted the Kumasi offices of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), they said they are unaware of the existence of these unauthorized fuel stations.