Don’t cheapen yourselves as a tool for political violence – Sheikh Aremeyaw to Muslim youth

The spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu has urged Muslim youth to shun any politician who would attempt to use them to achieve their end or to cause mayhem during this year's December elections.

He advised Muslim youth to resist the temptation of being used by politicians to foment trouble, adding that "Muslim youth need better education and not violence."

He said the prevailing peace, political stability and sound economic management in Ghana had been recognised internationally and that the country had won an enviable position as the beacon of democracy in West Africa, which should be jealously protected.

He pointed out that Islam stood for peace, and therefore all Muslims, irrespective of their educational or ethnic background, should preach peace and pray against violence in the country.

According to him, Zongo communities in the country were experiencing change through government's social intervention programmes aimed at creating employment for the people, and appealed to them to do their best to consolidate such gains.

He indicated that responses and statements from various political divides in the ongoing debate over the compilation of a new electoral register portend danger for our country.

"We must reject any mindset that seeks to accept violence as a means for political expression. We must speak against this with the strongest of voice", he urged opinion leaders.

He added that "our young people should not be reduced by politicians to become tools to visit political violence. It is immoral and must be condemned". Sheikh Aremeyaw was speaking at a press soiree organised by The Light Foundation in Accra.

The Light Foundation was established in 2005 to help poor people access basic services including education, water, sanitation and healthcare.

Guided by the core values of peace, excellence, compassion and social justice, the Light Foundation's press encounter with the media was to spell out activities in helping to ensure a peaceful election in December 2020.

Fake news hampering the fight against COVID-19

Sheikh Aremeyaw highlighted fake news as one of the challenges the country is facing in the fight against COVID-19.

According to him, there are times when people have experienced falsification of information that casts doubts on the information they are being given. These doubts, he stated, discourage people from taking the precautionary measures, making it a very serious trend for Ghana as a nation.

He, therefore, encouraged politicians to refrain from the unnecessary politicisation of official information in the fight against the pandemic.

"It is worrying to see people on the media front from the political divide exchanging words about what is to be done rather than sounding complimentary to the efforts being made and taking entrenched positions. We need to work hard to ensure we all contribute our quota to ensure our safety," he lamented.