ABOK Chief urged Imams to preach peace during Eid sermons ahead of election

The Paramount Muslim Chief of Aplaku, Bortianor, Oshiyie, and Kokrobite, (ABOK) Sarki Salifu Attram has urged all Imams in Ghana to prioritize their Eid sermons on the need to promote peace before, during, and after the upcoming general elections.

According to him most of the youth who are the major target for political parties in fomenting trouble during elections are largely seen at Eid grounds hence the need for the Imam to seize the opportunity to sensitize them on why they must always be ambassadors of peace ahead of the December polls.

The ABOK Muslim Chief who made this call in his yearly Eid message to the Muslim community globally said Ghana is known for its achievements in promoting democracy and being the gateway to Africa calls for the need for all to put hands on deck to protect the hard-won reputation of Ghana.

He said this year's election is a test case for Ghana to once again prove to the world that its democracy can never be compromised and will ensure peaceful and incident-free elections.

This he said can be achieved if Chiefs and opinion leaders as well as clergies come together to draw a framework for all political parties to follow so as to avoid violence before, during and after the election.

Sarki Salifu Attram further urged the Imams not to shy away from telling any politician who may find his or her way on the Eid grounds the truth and advise them to put a stop to using the Muslim youth for inhumane activities that may jeopardize the peace Ghanaians are enjoying.

He used the opportunity to call on the Imams not to allow any political party to use the Eid grounds as a campaign platform adding that there are instances where Imams due to little favour from a political party paved the way for politicians to use the Eid platform to campaign which eventually ends up with chaos.

The ABOK Muslim Chief advised the youth to desist from allowing themselves to be used as tools to perpetrate political violence ahead of the upcoming general elections.

He called on parents to do their possible best to advise their children to be mindful of politicians who might want to use them to foment chaos.

He added that the youth should rather think of how to put the politicians on their toes to foster development in their various communities.

Sarki Attram also advised political parties to put up their best behaviours during the campaign and avoid politics of insults and abusive words that may create unnecessary tension in the country ahead of the election.