The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) has bemoaned that the country’s moral and democratic foundation is being eroded by deep-seated inequality, corruption, and recurring acts of violence.
President of the GCBC, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi pointed out this worrying phenomenon at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Plenary Assembly of the GCBC held at the Unity Centre in Damongo on Monday, November 10, 2025.
He observed that while Ghana continues to be admired globally as a beacon of democracy and peace, this reputation masks a troubling undercurrent of moral and social decay.
“Ghana continues to be admired as a beacon of democracy and peace in West Africa. Yet beneath this celebrated image lies a complex reality marked by inequality, corruption, and recurring violence that threaten the moral fibre of our society,” he said.
Political and electoral violence
Speaking on the issue of political tensions and electoral violence, Most Rev. Kwasi Gyamfi noted that despite the country’s commendable record of nine successful general elections and four peaceful transfers of power since 1992, recent polls have revealed growing political intolerance and violence.
“The 2024 elections exposed deep fractures in our political culture. Independent observers described them as among the most violent since the beginning of the Fourth Republic.
“Police reports confirmed 106 arrests linked to post-election disturbances, several deaths, and numerous injuries. Democracy without conscience, however, is fragile; without truth and justice, it risks becoming ritual rather than renewal,” he cautioned.
Most Rev. Kwasi Gyamfi made the comments amid ongoing investigations into election-related violence between 2020 and 2024.
It would be recalled that the government directed the Ministry of the Interior to investigate all incidents of electoral violence recorded within that period.
Providing an update on November 4, 2025, the Minister for the Interior, Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, revealed that 21 suspects had been identified in connection with the deaths of 15 people and injuries to 40 others during the 2020 and 2024 general elections.
According to him, four suspects are currently on bail, while five remain on remand as legal proceedings continue. Warrants have been issued for the arrest of the remaining suspects, who are being pursued by law enforcement agencies.
Mr Muntaka emphasised that the arrests and ongoing prosecutions demonstrate the government’s commitment to ensuring accountability and justice for victims of electoral violence.
Most Rev. Gyamfi’s remarks underscored the Catholic Bishops’ Conference’s growing concern about Ghana’s political climate and its moral implications for the nation’s democratic future.
