Six former pastors of the Lighthouse Chapel International, now known as United Denominations, have taken the church to court for being exploited for years whilst working for the church.
The Men of God, a bishop, 3 Reverend Ministers and a pastor include Larry Odonkor, Emmanuel Oko Mensah, Edem Kofi Amankwa, Seth Sarpong Duncan, Edward Laryea, and Faith Fiakojo.
Together, they say they worked for years for the church, most at times as pastors heading different branches accross Ghana and other parts of Africa without having been formally employed by the church.
The church also failed to consistently pay their Social Security (SNNIT) contributions throughout they years they laboured for the church, leaving them facing financial ruin as they edge closer to retirement.
This has led them to drag the church to court seeking compensation.
The Fourth Estate, the new media house which recently hired Manasseh Azure, broke the story..
They spoke to the pastors to get details of their predicaments.
According to the report, “the six [pastors] have resigned from the church for various reasons and dragged the Lighthouse Chapel International, which used to be the epicenter of their spiritual and social lives, to court. They are praying the court to compel the church to pay their SSNIT contributions as well as other rights they say the church violated since they went into ministry there, some immediately after leaving the university,”
Another disturbing aspect of the report is that most of these men left their education, some with degrees which could have landed them highly lucrative jobs, to follow their ‘papa’.
Suffice it to say it has ended in tears. If churches are even treating their employees this way then you have to wonder about other institutions.
