Towards Saturday’s general election: 2 Religious leaders urge moderation, peace

Two senior religious figures have called for moderation among the electorate in order to preserve the peace of the country as the nation heads to the general election on Saturday.

Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, who is the Spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, and the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC), Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, said the election of a government must be driven by concrete considerations rather than violent tendencies.

Sheikh Shaibu underscored the need for the country to uphold and build on the peace it was enjoying during the upcoming general election.

He consequently stressed the need for all stakeholders, including political parties and their supporters, to work towards peace for the progress and development of the country.

Sheikh Shaibu said this at the fourth Graphic National Development Series in Accra last Wednesday.

Connection

“I'm speaking, more from a religious point of view because about 95 per cent of our population belong to one religion or the other. That's why religion plays a very significant role, and we owe this country a responsibility to talk in a tone that sends a message of peace, influencing our young people to reject completely the mindset of violence,” the Islamic leader said.

“Our politicians continue to send messages of violence, preparing the minds of our young people for violence in the name of elections. And I think that is bad,” he said.

Sheikh Shaibu explained that real peace happened when people met and could look one another in the eye and got connected in the heart, mind and souls with a sense of mutual well-being, respect and tolerance with one another.

That, he said, was what God had given to mankind as a gift.

At the event, the Managing Director of GCGL, Ato Afful, reminded young people to be mindful of people who might mislead them, saying the nation belonged to the very youngsters the older generation might seek to mislead.

Sheikh Shaibu said he identified completely with the GCGL MD’s view and urged the youth to be guided by sound judgment in the election process.

Misinformation

He urged the public to be wary of misinformation and disinformation in the heat of the electioneering.

“It's evil, it's vile, it's vicious, it's immoral,” he emphasised.

Sheikh Shaibu deplored the attitude of people, especially politicians, who recruited youngsters and deliberately gave them wrong information to cause chaos.

“Politicians are doing that. Misinformation, information that comes to you wrongly, but you do not care to find out how true or untrue it is, and you share that information and it goes and catches fire, and people's hard-won reputations are destroyed, breaking the harmony and the cohesiveness of our country.

“Politicians who do so are not honest.They want to become our presidents, our MPs, and they begin on the note of falsehood,” he said.

Sheikh Shaibu stressed the need for political parties to educate their people not to go to polling stations with arms.The police, he said, must be supported to ensure law and order.

“Help the police to keep order and keep our peace,” he said.

Graphic

The event was on the theme: “Sustaining civic and democratic governance system for development: Mandate of all citizens”.

The series is a platform offered by the nation’s foremost media organisation, Graphic Communications Group Ltd (GCGL), to discuss issues of national interest and to also propose solutions for accelerated development.

It focuses on strategic issues of national character, ultimately influencing policy and mindsets of the people.

Sheikh Shaibu said the Chief Imam had been sending messages across, particularly to the young people and office bearers whose responsibility it was to keep this country safe as the elections approached. 

“His message is, he is 105 years now and he is not growing any younger. He is very emotional about this country.

“If God should call him today, what kind of Ghana will he leave behind? Is it going to be a peaceful Ghana, a divided Ghana, a Ghana in which young people do not respect the elderly, a Ghana in which partisan politics and adversarial politics continue to set us apart and hatred can be seen all the time in the name of the politics that we do,” he said. 

Catholic Bishops

The GCBC urged Ghanaians to engage responsibly in the electoral process, guided by the values of the Gospel.

“We urge you to participate in the elections not just as voters but also as active citizens who contribute to the common good of the nation,” it said.

In an advent pastoral to Ghanaian Catholics, Most Rev. Kwasi Gyamfi entreated Ghanaians not to be swayed by divisive rhetoric or empty promises, but to seek to promote candidates who would work for the welfare of all, especially the poor, the marginalised and the vulnerable.

“Let us be vigilant in ensuring that the elections are free, fair and peaceful. In all that we do during this electioneering period, let us ensure that we put our dear country, Ghana, above our political interests and ambitions so that true peace will prevail in Ghana before, during and after the elections,” Most Rev. Kwasi Gyamfi said in the advent.

He said the bishops recognised that, as a country, Ghana was going through a time of transition, both politically and socially.

“The political climate in our nation is dynamic, and we are aware of the anxieties and uncertainties that often accompany times of electioneering. 

“In these times, it is easy to lose sight of the hope that sustains us as people of faith. However, as we celebrate Advent, we are reminded that Christ is our ultimate hope, and it is in Him that we find true peace and stability,” he stated. 

Peace

Most Rev. Kwasi Gyamfi called upon all Catholics to intensify their prayer during the Advent season, praying for peace, justice and reconciliation in our country.

“Let us pray for our leaders that they may be guided by wisdom, integrity and a true desire to serve the people. Let us also pray for all citizens of Ghana that we may be united in our diversity, working together for the common good,” he said.