Use pulpits to preach peace -- Veep urges churches

Vice-President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has asked churches in the country to use their pulpits to preach peace ahead of Election 2016.

He stated that faith-based organisations had a role to play by advising their followers to conduct themselves in a manner that would ensure peaceful co-existence during the electioneering period.

Mr Amissah-Arthur made the call when he joined members of the Musama Disco Christo Church (MDCC) to mark their Festival of Peace 2016 at Gomoa Eshiem in the Gomoa West District in the Central Region on Wednesday.

The event, which brought together followers of the church from across the country, was used to hold a thanksgiving and prayer session for Ghana as the electioneering intensify.

Accompanying the Vice-President were the Central Regional Minister, Mr Kweku Ricketts-Hagan; a member of the Council of State, Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe; the Member of Parliament (MP) for Mfantsiman, Mr Aquinas Quansah; the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Gomoa West, Mr Samuel K. Fletcher, and the Gomoa West District Chief Executive, Mr Theophilus Aidoo.

Preach unity

Mr Amissah-Arthur said unity was one of the major pillars on which the church was built, noting that Ghana had experienced many years of peace, unity, stability and guaranteed development which ought to be sustained.

Quoting Psalm 133 which reads: “How good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity” to buttress his point, the Vice-President called on the MDCC to pray for unity to prevail in the country and for reconciliation in places where divisions would emerge.

He said the political party to which he belonged had declared its intention to conduct its campaign in a peaceful manner and underscored the need for the other political parties to do same.

Media denial

The vice-president denied allegations that he had asked NDC supporters to engage in a campaign of insults when he unveiled the Central regional campaign task force of the party in Agona Swedru last Friday.

Rather, he said he urged supporters of the party to point out the numerous development projects initiated by the NDC administration to counter the campaign from the opposition parties, since the NDC had a superior record of achievements.

“I am for peace,” he declared as he pledged his commitment to peaceful elections and reiterated the NDC’s position to campaign on issues and not name calling.

He donated GH¢10,000 as his contribution to the development initiatives of the MDCC, including the construction of a library in memory of the late former Central Regional Minister, Mr H.Q Jehu-Appiah.  

Church leader

Earlier, the leader of the MDCC, Prophet Moknajeeba Jehu-Appiah, urged political parties to conduct their campaigns with civility and for the electorate to remain tolerant of divergent views.

He asked the government to rehabilitate bad roads in the community and sought assistance for the construction of a library.

The regional minister, who had enumerated projects in the region, assured the people of the government’s commitment to the development of the region.  

 Writer’s email: sebastian.syme@graphic.com.gh