Politicians and stakeholders to preach peace

Wa, Sept 27 GNA - Mr Sahanun Mogtari, the Upper West Regional Minister, at the weekend called for a collaborative effort among political parties, opinion and religious leaders, civil society organisations and all other stakeholders to preach peace before, during and after the December general elections.

"Ghana has carved a niche for itself in democracy and will continue to be the icon of the continent as the general elections come on in December this year," he said.

Mr Mogtari said this in a speech read on his behalf during a three-day workshop organised for assembly members in Upper West Region. The workshop was organised by the Tamale ecclesiastical Provincial and pastoral conference (TEPPCON) and co-sponsored by Konrad Adenaeur Foundation (KAF) a German political non-governmental organisation. The Regional Minister said there was the need for people to see politics as any other competition rather than creating enmity, division and bitterness among each other.

He commended KAF and TEPPSON for their constant education programmes towards the effective governance of the Region and urged participants to reciprocate by implementing what they learned from the workshop.

Mr Bernard Guri, Programme Director of KAF, said KAF would double its efforts in civic education at the grassroots levels that could speed up development in communities.

He said KAF, with its development partners, would empower Christians and others to influence politics with religious values to deal with the problem of greed, ethnic conflicts, mismanagement, injustices and bribery and corruption.

Mr Guri said a manual had been launched to instil the best values in the three main religions in the northern sector of the country - traditional religion, Islam in Christianity.

Miss Agnes Gandaa, TEPPCOM Partnership Co-ordinator called on Assembly members to enact and implement by-laws that would deal with bribery and corruption and other social issues.