Most recently however, he may have been in the news, for the wrong reasons, as six (6) of his pastors, had resigned and lead a form of counter attack, against him, accusing him of not paying their SSNIT benefits, for which reason, they are still in court.
The six pastors, Bishop Larry Odonkor, Bishop Oko Mensah, Rev. Edward Laryea, Pastor Seth Duncan, Pastor Edem Amankwah and Pastor Faith Makafui Fiakojo, filed their suits at the Labour Division of the Accra High Court on April 19, this year, seeking an order to compel the church to pay their “unpaid SSNIT contributions”.
They are also seeking an order to compute and pay balance of salary due them. Also, a compensation to cover some investments they made in schools, churches of the LCI and for rental of cars while in the service of LCI as well as monies they spent on accommodation.
They are seeking damages for breach of contract and the pain, unfair termination of contract and suffering caused as a result of what they described as bad treatment from the church during the period of their employment and loss of income by their spouses during transfers.
The case of these 6 Bishops and Pastors, did hit a hurddle when the six former pastors and bishops had petitioned SSNIT, reporting the church’s failure to pay a cumulative 42 years and five months of outstanding social security contributions.
SSNIT finally concluded that; “According to the records currently available to us, we could not establish an employer/employee relationship between LCI Ghana and your good self for the period…. claimed in your petition,” a letter dated August 20, 2021, and signed by its Compliance Manager, Felix Cudjoe Ahiable, said.
SSNIT said it could therefore not compel Lighthouse Chapel International to pay these outstanding contributions, as its final decision, concluded that it found no evidence of this relationship between LCI and the pastors during certain periods of their working lives, especially when they worked outside the church’s branches outside Ghana.
Apparently, Rev. Nana Anyani-Boadum, Founder of Jesus Generation Ministries was at a point "involved" in the case and only became public, when his name up, as one of the “Eminent Clergymen” alleged to have mediated an out of court settlement in the case involving the six aggrieved pastors of Light House Chapel International (LCI) says the lawyer for the plaintiffs proposed the controversial $12 million settlement.
However the lawyer for the six aggrieved former pastors of Lighthouse Chapel, Kofi Bentil, said his clients did not demanded $12 million from the church as being circulated on the internet, according to him, the figure is a figment of the imagination of the defendant, Lighthouse Chapel.
Their response stated that; "We are instructed that a certain Apostle Toss Mills-Odoi working for Lighthouse Chapel International (LCI) has published a video in which he and LCI maliciously maligned, defamed and accused our clients of various heinous acts, and incited LCI members and the general public against our clients with lies and outright fabrications of falsehood.
This is a continuation of the social media war of denigration and vilification LCI launched against our clients after they sued the church for their unpaid SSNIT contributions, Salaries and compensations for what they endured in LCI.
Our clients expressly deny ALL the allegations and accusations spoken by Apostle Toss Mills-Odoi and LCI and say before the God they serve.
Rev. Nana Anyani-Boadum, Founder of Jesus Generation Ministries, in an-18 paragraph rejoinder addressed to the Managing Editor of THE GHANAIAN PUBLISHER, made these assertions eventually:
"I am moved to send this rejoinder to bring clarity to what transpired in a Mediation Committee I put together to secure an out of court settlement in the case between the Lighthouse Chapel and the ex-pastors of the Lighthouse Chapel. And, to help clarify some points raised in your publication. Such sensitive issues need to be properly verified for accuracy before being published."
"It is particularly sad that, my efforts at settlement which were conducted in an atmosphere of trust and confidentiality between men of God, had been LEAKED into the public space and erroneously misapplied out of context. Such leakages, negatively impacts on Christian counselling and frustrates persons of goodwill who sacrifice to secure peace in such circumstances."
"I have a personal relationship with the Managing Partner of Lex Praxis Incorporated, Lawyer Kofi Bentil spanning a period of over 30 years. Indeed, I have been a Pastor to him, and quite close to his family. I called Lawyer Kofi Bentil myself to enquire about this case which was likely to adversely affect the whole body of Christ. He responded and attended to my call.
"I confirm that, Lawyer Kofi Bentil and the six ex pastors agreed to settle the matter out of court if Lighthouse Chapel International would sit with them and hear out their grievances and accept to compensate them.
"At all material times, I had to report to Bishop Dag Heward -Mills and update him, on proceedings which I did as part of my duty whilst observing the confidentiality, expected of us as senior clergymen, into whose hands the parties had entrusted this process.
18. In conclusion, ...
"This is a matter not between just church members but Men of God, and I believe as the Bible says, if the elders of the church are called, this matter can be settled without the court coming in. I am calling upon the Body of Christ, to sit with the parties and resolve this matter amicably."
Cc: Faith Chambers, 16th Kojo Thompson Avenue, Adabraka, Accra REJOINDER BY RT. REV. NANA ANYANI-BOADUM. JESUS GENERATION MINISTRIES.
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