The National Peace Council has described peace as a priceless commodity that ought to be cherished, especially as we prepare for the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections on December 7, 2024.
The Chairman of the NPC, Rev. Dr Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, was speaking at a dialogue session with prophets organised by the NPC in Accra yesterday.
The event was on the theme “Prophets and peaceful elections.” They prayed for peaceful elections.
He advised prophets to exercise caution when prophesying about elections, as this could potentially jeopardize the country’s peace and security.
He opined that such prophecies could increase political tension, which could lead to violence in the run-up to this year’s elections.
Dr. Ernest Adu-Gyamfi said, ‘’Peace is a priceless commodity, but it can be very expensive if not nurtured with love, unity, and tolerance among our followers and church members. It is important for us to concede that our members and followers are supporters of various political parties, and therefore public declaration on the outcome of general elections can create political tension among our own church members and the public at large’’.
“Religious utterances can lead to increased tension among different groups; it can also become a major source of human rights violations, breakdown in social cohesion, and the stability of a nation.
“These unfortunate utterances often lead to violence and displacement of people and can have long-lasting effects on societies,” he added.
He referred to the church as a symbol of unity in society, underscoring the need for leaders to promote unity and national cohesion.
“Everybody is looking up to the church. When God places us in leadership positions, we must conduct ourselves in a manner that not only gives glory to God but also brings people together,” he said.
“Our goal is to have a Ghana that is uniquely built on tolerance and peaceful coexistence. Let us all understand that our peace architecture can function at its maximum with the support of all of us,” Rev. Adu-Gyamfi said.
Stephen Asamoah Boateng, the Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, on his part advised the two major political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to accept the election results.
“Some people in the opposition NDC are already proclaiming that they had won the elections, which had not been conducted yet.
“On the other hand, some elements in the NPP had misconstrued the slogan “breaking the 8” to mean they are not willing to concede defeat irrespective of the outcome.
“All these are unhealthy and not good for our democracy,” he said.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
