(The benefits and disadvantages of preachers at markets)

Page 29 Monday January 5 2009
Ghanaians will forever remain religious.
Even at the peak of making money they still believe in the Almighty’s presence through his agents on earth (pastors).
This is amply manifested at marketplaces where traders simultaneously listen to the preacher man, give their offering and sell their wares.
Some traders, in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic at the 31st December Market at Accra expressed their belief in the word of God.
Asked whether the high volume of some microphones and amplifiers the pastors used were not a nuisance to them, they said it was normal and saw nothing wrong with that.
Madam Tina Adade, a cloth seller at the Makola Market said some of the messages from these pastors brought them some comfort.
“We all cannot be in church on Sunday to listen to the word of God. I think we should rather be thankful to these pastors who bring us the message at the market,” she said.
A beads seller at the market also said it was good to see these pastors preaching in the scorching sun.
“I think our pastors are now behaving like some of the disciples of Jesus. They do not care how much money we give them. I think it is wonderful to see Ghanaian pastors following the steps of Jesus”, she said.
Kwaku Obo, a watch repairer at the market who disagreed with the market women said: “A lady had her bag snatched; fortunately for her, she spotted the thief and raised an alarm for help but unfortunately, an amplifier being used by a pastor was so noisy that not even the person walking next to her heard her”.
He expressed the belief that it was necessary for these pastors to be decent in their work.
He said he had observed some of these pastors for some time and concluded that they were nothing but “stomach pastors.”
Another trader at the market who only gave his name as Joe also said: “I always feel like beating these so-called pastors. They make so much noise that you can hardly hear your phone ringing.”
He indicated that it was very risky to allow people to preach in the open as armed robbery had become prevalent in the society.
He narrated how his neighbour had been attacked by armed robbers in the deep hours of the night but he could not hear the warning shots by the robbers since there was an all night service in the neighbourhood.
While some of the traders protested against the noise emanating from the loud speakers and amplifiers used by some of the pastors at the market, others danced to some gospel songs being played by a pastor who was about to begin his preaching.
The pastor told the Daily Graphic that he had been called by God at the age of 15 to spread the word of God and had to stop schooling and to start preaching in buses, hospitals and in the open where people could see him.
The pastor said he was directed by the Holy Spirit to preach at markets and that was what he was doing.
One major problem traders at the Makola Market face is the refuse that has engulfed its streets.
They expressed the hope that the sanitation at the market would improve this year.