Christian Council calls for tolerance

Accra, Sept. 3 GNA - The Christian Council of Ghana on Wednesday called on the public to comport themselves and abide by the electoral laws and regulations to help maintain the peace prevailing in the country.

A statement signed in Accra by the Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe, General Secretary to the Council, asked the citizenry not to be carried away by any fraudulent acts by "unscrupulous politicians" who would use any means to canvass for votes.

It said those negative acts were against the Christian faith and the electoral laws of the country and that the Christian should not exchange the "God-given freedom to choose leaders for pottage". Rev. Deegbe said the Christian Council, in collaboration with the Catholic Bishops' Conference and other religious bodies together with the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) would train and deploy a selected number of Christians to observe the elections in December.

"We must be pro-active in the election process by engaging all political aspirants on critical national issues and the feasibility of their programmes to improve the living standards of the people, fight rigorously against corruption and crime, promote good governance and national integration.

"Others are to increase productivity and labour wages, ensure quality spending of state resources, create more jobs for the youth and guarantee the affordability and accessibility of quality essential social services such as education, health, water and sanitation." He entreated churches to make a conscious and purposeful attempt to devote part of their Sunday worship interceding and praying fervently for God's guidance, direction and peace before during and after the election to avert any civil strife that had reared its ugly head in some countries.

"The cost of rebuilding a nation after experiencing such lawlessness is one that is unacceptable and too high a cost to pay." The Council, he said, would among other things, organize a series of programmes such as outreach programme on Voter Education and the collection of campaign signatures from individual voters pledging their commitment to a violence-free 2008 elections.

The statement called on the churches to note that voting day falls on Sunday, December 7 and appealed to them to hold church services early so as to enable all eligible candidates to exercise their civic responsibility. 3 Sept. 08