Afriyie Ankrah: My Office is Not for Prophecy Collection Alone

Presidential Envoy on Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has dismissed claims that his office exists solely to receive and review prophecies concerning the nation or public officials.

Speaking to JoyNews’ Maxwell Agbagba, Mr. Afriyie Ankrah explained that his role encompasses much broader responsibilities, including collaboration with ECOWAS, the African Union, the United Nations, and various local faith-based organisations across different religions.

He revealed that since the recent helicopter crash which claimed eight lives, over 200 prophecies have been submitted to his office. However, the vast majority, he said, will not be acted upon.

“By and large, 70–80% is of no substance,” he noted. “Then you look at the rest of the 20% and sift through, and maybe 2–5% may deserve further probe. It’s not a full-time job or an office set up solely to receive prophecies; that’s not how it works.”

The envoy clarified that the review process was initiated after claims emerged from some prophets who said they had foreseen the crash. He stressed that sensitive predictions with potential security implications should be shared privately rather than broadcast publicly.

“If you say a Ghana Air Force plane is going to crash, whichever way, it’s a security matter. Don’t put it out there in a raw form that will cause alarm. We’ve created a WhatsApp platform and an email address — send it to us for review,” he urged.

Mr. Afriyie Ankrah cited biblical instruction on testing prophecies, noting that many are “completely bogus” and will be discarded, while a few may have merit.

Addressing misconceptions about his appointment, he explained that he assumed office only two weeks ago and that some public reaction — including memes — stemmed from a misunderstanding of his role.

“The office is meant to coordinate with all religious bodies — Christian, Muslim, and others — to promote unity and national cohesion,” he said, adding that religion remains a dominant force in Ghanaian society, with over 90% of the population identifying with a faith.