NAPO pleads with Adventists to go out and vote on Saturday Dec 7, suggests fixed election day going forward
Going into the future, Ghana should consider a fixed day for the presidential and parliamentary elections in December, instead of the traditional December 7 date, which sometimes conflicts with religious beliefs of some sects, the vice presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has said.
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Supporting earlier calls for this move because of the current concerns raised by members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church who have raised religious beliefs about the Sabbath, which will not allow them to go and vote on Saturday, December 7 in this year's election, Dr Prempeh appealed to them to reconsider their decision.
In a radio interview on Peace FM on Wednesday morning [Oct 16], Dr Prempeh said it was important for all Ghanaians to participate in the election of leaders for the next four years.
He said to encourage inclusivity the country should consider fixing specific days instead of the traditional December 7 date as stated in the Constitution.
"Ghana should consider moving elections to specific days, perhaps every Thursday or the first Thursday of the month, to ensure broader voter participation," he suggested.
The SDA church had earlier appealed to the Electoral Commission (EC) to consider moving this year's election which falls on a Saturday to another date but the EC explained that it was a constitutional obligation to vote on December 7 and cannot change the date.
Following this, the church has advised its members to make individual determinations on how to observe the Sabbath but as a principle, members have been reminded about the doctrine of the church and how to go about it.
Speaking during the Peace FM interview on the Kokrokoo morning programme monitored by Graphic Online, Dr. Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, stressed that choosing a consistent day for elections could increase voter turnout.
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He also appealed to SDA members to participate in this year’s election, despite the clash with the Sabbath.
A section of the church has decided not to vote on December 7, but I encourage them to consider voting in this crucial election, which is vital for the future of Ghana, Dr Prempeh said and acknowledged the shared values of faith, service, and responsibility within the SDA Church.