National Prayer and Thanksgiving Service to be held today at UPSA
President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang will this afternoon (January 12, 2025) join worshippers at a Christian National Prayer and Thanksgiving Service.
The event, which is open to the public, will take place at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) Ohene Konadu Auditorium in Madina at 3pm.
This follows a similar event held last Friday at the National Mosque in Kanda, Accra, dubbed the National Muslim Prayer and Thanksgiving Service.
During that gathering, President Mahama reiterated his administration’s pledge to promote religious inclusivity and tolerance, including a proposed additional public holiday for Muslims during Eid-ul-Fitr.
“The move is aimed at ensuring that all Muslim citizens can enjoy the public holiday without conflict with their places of work,” the President stated. He emphasised that this would not affect productivity, as the Public Holidays Act would be modified to maintain the same number of annual holidays.
The President also announced several initiatives to support the Muslim community, including the establishment of a new Hajj committee and scholarships for Muslim students to study medicine, law, and ICT.
“Hijabs can be worn freely in public, promoting religious tolerance and acceptance,” President Mahama declared, reaffirming his commitment to equality and the recognition of all citizens.
Addressing election violence
President Mahama took a firm stance on addressing election-related violence, tasking his executive secretary to seek a comprehensive report on the killings that occurred during the 2020 and 2024 elections.
“I have asked my executive secretary to write to the Inspector General of Police to give us a report on the status of investigations into these killings,” he said.
Condemning the violence, which claimed five lives in 2024 and eight in 2020, the President described it as senseless and warned of the consequences of unresolved injustices.
Gratitude for support
During the event at the National Mosque, President Mahama expressed deep gratitude to Allah for His protection during the election campaign.
“By the time we arrived at the rally at Madina, we had done 30,000 kilometres and not a single accident,” he said. “We asked [the Chief Imam] for prayers so that Allah would grant our heart desires. If Allah has listened to our supplication and granted our heart desire, it is only proper to thank Allah.”
National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, also praised the Muslim community for their prayers and peaceful conduct during the elections. “The Muslim community demonstrated that leaders should be chosen based on integrity and capacity, rather than religious affiliations,” he stated.
The National Prayer and Thanksgiving Service at UPSA is expected to be another opportunity for the nation’s leaders and citizens to come together in gratitude, prayer, and unity as Ghana embarks on a new chapter under President Mahama’s leadership.