Former President John Mahama has urged the church to persist in praying and interceding for the nation and its leaders.

He emphasized the importance of such prayers in helping the country navigate challenging times.

Speaking at Impact 2023, an event organized by the Action Faith International Church, the former President stated that intercessions are necessary to redirect the focus of the nation.

“It doesn’t matter who the leader is. It doesn’t matter whether you like the leader or not. Or whether the leader is bad or not, we must continue to pray for leaders because they do not exist in isolation, the church exists in a society.

“And we must pray especially for bad leaders because the damage they cause affects the church and its congregation. So just as we pray for good leaders, we should pray for bad leaders that God opens doors,” he said.

Despite the economic challenges confronting the country, Mr. Mahama, who also serves as the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2024 election, encouraged Ghanaians not to lose hope.

“We should never give up on our future. We should never give up on the future of this nation. I know that sometimes when things are tough, in despair we give up and throw our hands up in the air.

“And I believe that as it is said, ‘the darkest hour comes before the dawn’ of a new sunrise. When things are going badly at night and you despair that the sun will never rise again, just the hour before the sun rises is the darkest and that is what tests your faith. So let’s not give up,” he encouraged.