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Christian Council calls for tolerance
Accra, Sept. 3 Ghanadot/GNA - The Christian Council of Ghana
on Wednesday called on the public to comport themselves and
abide by the electoral laws and regulations to help maintain
the peace prevailing in the country.
A statement signed in Accra by the Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe,
General Secretary to the Council, asked the citizenry not to
be carried away by any fraudulent acts by “unscrupulous
politicians” who would use any means to canvass for votes.
It said those negative acts were against the Christian faith
and the electoral laws of the country and that the Christian
should not exchange the "God-given freedom to choose leaders
for pottage".
Rev. Deegbe said the Christian Council, in collaboration
with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference and other religious
bodies together with the Coalition of Domestic Election
Observers (CODEO) would train and deploy a selected number
of Christians to observe the elections in December.
“We must be pro-active in the election process by engaging
all political aspirants on critical national issues and the
feasibility of their programmes to improve the living
standards of the people, fight rigorously against corruption
and crime, promote good governance and national integration.
“Others are to increase productivity and labour wages,
ensure quality spending of state resources, create more jobs
for the youth and guarantee the affordability and
accessibility of quality essential social services such as
education, health, water and sanitation.”
He entreated churches to make a conscious and purposeful
attempt to devote part of their Sunday worship interceding
and praying fervently for God’s guidance, direction and
peace before during and after the election to avert any
civil strife that had reared its ugly head in some
countries.
“The cost of rebuilding a nation after experiencing such
lawlessness is one that is unacceptable and too high a cost
to pay.”
The Council, he said, would among other things, organize a
series of programmes such as outreach programme on Voter
Education and the collection of campaign signatures from
individual voters pledging their commitment to a
violence-free 2008 elections.
The statement called on the churches to note that voting day
falls on Sunday, December 7 and appealed to them to hold
church services early so as to enable all eligible
candidates to exercise their civic responsibility.
GNA
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