Don’t relent in your prayers for peace – Chief Imam

The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, has appealed to the nation’s prayer warriors not to relent in their efforts of offering prayers for the nation to sustain the prevailing peace.

He said the whole nation stood together in unity during the hearing of the 2012 election petition at the Supreme Court and prayed for an acceptable outcome which yielded positive results hence there is the need to continue in that regard to sustain the peace.

Sheikh Sharubutu made the appeal in Tamale at the weekend in a speech read on his behalf at a day’s stakeholders’ forum organized by the Office of the National Chief Imam (ONCI) to discuss the essence of peace after the Supreme Court verdict.

The Star-Ghana sponsored programme brought together some Muslim clerics, Regional Chief Imams, Muslim women groups and some Muslim Youths from the Upper West, Upper East and the Northern Regions to attend the programme dubbed: “Northern Zone Stakeholders’ Forum”.

The event was to discuss the essence of peace and how continuous prayers and preaching could help to sustain the peace of the nation.

The programme, which was on the theme: “Let’s respect the judiciary and support Electoral Reforms to enhance our democracy”, also involved a high representation of People with Disabilities (PWDs) drawn from the ‘Hope for Life’ institute in Tamale.

Sheikh Sharubutu said it is important for Ghanaians especially Muslims to continue to allow peace to prevail in the country to propel the needed development, address poverty, illiteracy and the myriad of problems confronting the country.

“Now that the Supreme Court has delivered its verdict, I wish to remind you of my earlier plea to the Muslim community to accept the decision of the Court in whichever way it went. I am happy the declaration was done and no skirmishes occurred”, he said.

“Let us always remember that it is the divine duty and responsibility of every Muslim to use the daily and Friday prayer services to pray in the name of the Almighty Allah for peace, unity and stability in our dear country”, he said.

Sheikh Sharubutu commended Ghanaians especially Muslim youths who gave peace a chance after the Supreme Court’s declaration saying: “Let us continue to preach and pray for peace in the true spirit of oneness”.

He also appealed to Ghanaians to continue to show maturity and tolerance in the political discourse far beyond accepting the Court’s verdict and that the way to build a stable democracy that guaranteed national cohesion, peace and stability was to support electoral reforms.

Alhaji Ahmed Nii Nortey, Public Relations Officer at the ONCI, expressed regret that some individuals were indulging in acts that could derail the country’s peace and advised those vilifying and calling for the head of the EC chairman to desist and promote peace.

He said though Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo accepted defeat soon after the SC verdict and called President Mahama to congratulate him some politicians were still engaging in negative acts that could defeat Nana Akufo-Addo’s statesmanship and advised such people to allow “sleeping dogs lie” and focus on moving forward.

Mr Musah Fuseini, a focal person from the Northern Region office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), said the Commission would continue to embark on the necessary education for people to know the essence of peace.