Koforidua, Feb.24, GNA - The chairman of the Koforidua Local

Council of Churches, Apostle Yaw Adu, has called on the media to focus on informing the public on positive issues to consolidate the peace and tranquillity the nation was enjoying.

He said it was only information that enhances the understanding of the people and tends to nurture the country's infant democracy rather than inflaming passions, which the country need in this electioneering year. Apostle Adu made the call at Koforidua at a four-day celebration of

"God's Kingdom Glory" rally organized by the Ghana Evangelical Society (GES) to commemorate peace that had prevailed in the country for the past three years.

The celebration, which had the theme: "Let Thy Glory Appear Unto Us, O Lord and Bless Our land", was an annual programme of the GES used as a durbar of the chiefs, church, government and the people to give thanks to God.

Apostle Adu noted that most people hide behind Christianity to ignore their right to vote and urged all Christians to do away with that attitude and exercise their franchise in the coming elections, adding, "If the church does not vote who votes for them to enjoy the leadership of an elected government."

Daasebre Prof. Oti Boateng, Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, called on the church to foster unity and harmony with all other religions to collaborate efforts of each other to build the country into an appreciable status.

He said as an election year, the role of the Church needed to be felt as never before in preaching patriotism, commitment and responsibility to create the awareness for every Ghanaian, irrespective of their religious affiliation to appreciate the need to involve themselves in the registration and voting exercise.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Dr Francis Osafo-Mensah in a speech read for him also appealed to the church to use the pulpit in addressing issues that affect the people as far as peace and stability of the country was concerned.

He urged the churches to pray unceasingly for God's guidance and security in the voter's registration exercise and the elections "so that patriotism shall prevail over emotions to ensure a free and fair elections".

The Minister also noted that the nation was losing untapped talents to the deadly HIV/AIDS and urged the churches to continue to preach abstinence so that people would make informed decisions from the other methods of the prevention.