Ashongman (Greater Accra) - President John Kufuor on Thursday appealed to Ghanaians to adhere to the messages of the campaign against indiscipline in the society to bring peace and unity, which the country needs to develop.
He said the campaign was a challenge for the nation to change "and for this to happen, the citizens need to change their attitudes first before we can achieve our goals". President Kufuor said this in a speech read for him by Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Information and Presidential Affairs, at the 74th Annual National Convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission (AMM), Ghana, at Ashongman, near Madina.
The three-day convention under the theme: “Curbing Indiscipline in Society - The Role of Religion,” was to take stock of the Mission's activities of the past year and to consider other ways to enrich society and members physically, mentally, morally and spiritually.
President Kufuor acknowledged the contributions of the Mission in the areas of human resource development and its role in the fight against HIV/AIDS. He said the theme was well chosen and timely for the people to identify the need to be disciplined.
“When we are all disciplined, the nation will be a disciplined nation,” he said, and urged both Muslims and Christians to disseminate the message to make Ghana a disciplined country.
“Leaders do not change people but they can only inspire people. Meanwhile, they can only change themselves.” He, therefore, urged all Ghanaians to make the decision to change to make the country a peaceful one.
Maulvi A. Wahab Adam, Ameer and Missionary-In-Charge of AMM, Ghana, said indiscipline formed part of the major causes of the problems facing the country. "From all indications, we are all heading towards the abyss of national self-destruction unless urgent steps are taken to arrest the situation."
He said the war against indiscipline launched by the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, was an effort towards orderliness and good sense and deserved the active support of the entire citizenry.
Maulvi Adam said the belief of blasphemy among a section of Muslims had regrettably contributed to the creation of disharmony in relationships between Muslims and non-Muslims at both national and international levels.
He said a lot of violence had been perpetrated and a lot of blood spilled in the name of God, ostensibly to punish blasphemy. “If there is any religious book that prescribes punishment for blasphemy in the world that book is not the Holy Quran,” he said. Maulvi Adam described the recent carnage in Kaduna, Northern Nigeria, during which more than 200 people were killed in demonstrations against what was perceived as blasphemy as “senseless killings.”
The riots occurred after Mulsims considered an article in a newspaper on the abortive Miss World contest in Nigeria as blasphemy. He said Islam did not advocate the punishment for blasphemy in this world nor does he vest such authority in anyone.
"Give peace a chance" - Ahmadiyya Mission
Maulvi A. Wahab Adam, Ameer and Missionary-In-Charge of Ahmadiyya Mission in Ghana, on Thursday appealed to the Andani and Abudu Royal Gates in Dagbon Traditional Area to give peace a chance since that was the only way to ensure development in the area. He said any development that comes to the area would not be for the present and the coming generations of the people in Dagbon alone but for the nation as a whole. “While government should endeavour to facilitate a process of resolving the disputes and conflicts, a lot will depend on the willingness of the parties to live in peace and the desire to reconcile and bequeath to the present and future generations areas free of conflicts.”
Maulvi Adam, who was speaking at the 74th National Annual Convention of the Mission at Ashongman near Madina, said the past year was one of numerous blessings for the country even as the people strived to improve the economy, however, all had not been well.
It was under the theme “Curbing Indiscipline: The Role of Religion.” He said, “Land and chieftaincy disputes had threatened the peace and security of our communities. In particularly, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission is deeply saddened by the tragedy in Dagbon and wishes to add its voice to the appeal to both gates to give peace a chance.”
“The same appeal goes to our compatriots in other parts of the country. We have been spared the agony and pain that have afflicted some of our neighbouring countries, wreaking untold havoc on the people,” he said, and asked God to have mercy on them and deliver them from their moments of extreme tribulations.
On discipline, Maulvi Adam said in Islam, discipline was considered to be so crucial to the development of the individual and society that it had been made an integral part of worship.
He said the three-day convention would not only stimulate further debate on the issue but would bring about the necessary attitudinal change that would reduce indiscipline from the society.
The Apostolic Nuncio in Ghana, Reverend George Kocherry, also stressed the need for both Christians and Muslims to ensure discipline in their various places of worship.
He said, “The two religions have roles to play in bringing discipline in Ghana to ensure peace and harmony among the people.” Moses Mokasa, UNFPA Country Representative, said about 60,000 people were diagnosed with the HIV/AIDS disease in Ghana and stressed the need for collective efforts to address the pandemic.
He said people living with the disease carry along with them the stigma of shame, isolation and discrimination and urged the public to show such people love and change their negative attitudes towards them.
