Election prophesies can spark tension - Rev Opuni-Frimpong

Reverend Dr Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong, the General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, has called on prophets and prophetesses to stop fueling tension with their prophesies on who becomes President in the December 7 general election.

 

He advised them to keep their prophecies to themselves since it had a greater percentage of creating unreasonable tension in the country prior to the impending elections.

 

Rev Opuni-Frimpong made the call in Accra at the 8th annual interfaith symposium on the theme: “Religions for Peace: Promoting Healthy Participation in the Political Life of Ghana” oragnised by the Presbyterian Interfaith Research and Resource Centre.

 

He appealed to religious leaders to be neutral and objective in the discharge of their duties, adding that they are suppose to serve as mediators and not to affiliate themselves to a political party.

   

The Rev Minister urged religious leaders to use their positions to educate the masses on the need to ensure peace before, during and after the December 7 polls since they have the power of influence on their people.

     

He called for religious tolerance and the need to respect one another’s religion and avoid any tendencies that would mar the beauty of the country’s democracy.

     

He appealed to state institutions to be fair and transparent in the discharge of their duties to gain public confidence and trust ahead of the elections.

  

Alhaji Ahmad Suleman Anderson, General Secretary of Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission of Ghana said politics was about seeking the welfare of the people and the not parochial interest of the politicians.

    

He commended authorities for banning vigilante in the country since he believed their activities brought about uneasiness and was a recipe for violence.

    

Alhaji Anderson urged all to guard against tribalism since it posed danger to national development.

     

Mr Prosper Bani, the Minister of Interior, called for the need for all to collaborate with the relevant state institutions to promote healthy participation in the political life of the country.

   

He appealed to Ghanaians to support each others' efforts and those of governmental institutions in conflict prevention, the promotion of peace in society and peaceful co-existence.