Minister calls for peace

Sunyani, Dec 3, GNA - Mr. Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, has appealed to Christians and other faiths to continue to pray for peace before during and after the 2008 general election.

He said threats from certain political figures that the country would burn if their party did not win the elections could not be taken lightly and it was incumbent on all Ghanaians to continuously pray for peace and stability in the country. Mr. Adjei-Darko, MP for Sunyani West, was addressing the congregation as the guest of honour at the annual harvest and thanksgiving service at the Wesley Cathedral of the Methodist Church in Sunyani.

The Minister said many countries in Africa, including Sierra Leone and Cote d'Ivoire, had gone through traumatic and bitter war experiences.

"Ghana, as an oasis of peace on the continent, cannot be allowed to go through such experience and we must all play our parts well and pray to ensure that God delivers us from such trauma, which would derail our forward march in development", Mr. Adjei-Darko said. He urged members of the congregation to honour God by appreciating and recognizing what He had done for them and all others and for the relative peace and stability in the country. The Minister appealed to those who are rich to share their wealth with their unfortunate countrymen and women, including the poor and vulnerable "since it is God who gives us all that we have and by freely giving depicts our Christian faith."

The Right Reverend James K. Baffour-Awuah, Bishop of the Sunyani Diocese of the Church, urged members of the church to help each other "for that is what Christ came into the world to teach and we must follow his selfless life".

The Bishop prayed that Ghanaians would acknowledge that it paid to live in peace so all could continue to make efforts towards the accelerated development of their communities and the country.