U/E religious leaders pledged to preach peace ahead of the December polls

Heads of Religious bodies in the Upper East Region in collaboration with 72 Africa and the Centre for Conflict Transformation and Peace Studies, CECOTAPS, have organized a stakeholder engagement meeting to drum home the urgency for religious faiths to demonstrate a sense of oneness as the country prepares for yet another decisive poll, come December 7. 

The event highlighted the involvement of religious leaders in propagating the message of unity while working towards a peaceful election this year. 

Speaker after speaker encouraged spiritual heads not to show hesitation in condemning any potential threat to the country’s prevailing peace and security, bearing in mind that there is a price to pay should any political violence erupt. 

The Chairperson of the Upper Presbytery, Rev. Emmanuel Batesim Atami, urged Ghanaians to be committed to peace and pray against any act that has the tendency of bringing the hard won reputation of the country into disrepute. 

He said in the wake of any political elections, there seem to be an amount of tension and feeling of uneasiness among electorates since any least provocation could trigger electoral violence. 

Most people are often gripped with fear and are unable to come out clear to condemn needless acts that have the potential of inciting violence. 

There are instances where party offices are attacked and burn due to misunderstanding which is gradually creeping into the country’s political atmosphere is ethnic and religious politics. 

This has the tendency of breeding religious intolerance when not held in check. 

Heads of religious bodies in the Upper East Region consider this unhealthy development as an affront to the Bible and Quran concept of peace and unity and therefore have no choice than to stand against any eventuality especially in the run up to this year’s general elections. 

The engagement meeting which was on the theme “Peaceful-Co-existence; Peaceful Elections” was intended to solidify the peaceful-co-existence among religious bodies and to underscore the need for them to tolerant before, during and after the December polls. 

On behalf of the Muslim leaders, the Chairman of the Ahmadiyya Educational Board in the Upper East Region, Alhaji Abdalah Otito, described peace as an essential commodity of society that must be nurtured and not be traded for anything. 

He cautioned religious faiths against divisive tendencies that may cause religious enmity. 

Alhaji Otito impressed on the EC to be firm on its decisions and execute its mandate in a fair and transparent manner.


GBC