Religious leaders urged to preach against violent extremism

Religious leaders have been urged to help safeguard the peace of the nation by preaching against ethnic, land, and chieftaincy disputes to prevent violent extremists from taking advantage to disturb the nation’s peace.

This is necessary because no nation can develop in an environment without peace and safety for its citizens to go about their normal activities.

Amatus Taalar, the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) Officer in charge of Lambussie District, said this during an engagement with the Piina Central Pentecost Church as part of sensitisation activities to celebrate the 2023 constitution week in the area.

The constitution week celebration, instituted in 2001, was a flagship programme of the NCCE and was being supported by the European Union (EU).

This year’s celebration was on the theme: “Thirty Years of Consolidating Constitutional Democracy: Building National Cohesion through Civic Education and Participation in Local Governance”.

Taalar said before 1992, all three previous constitutions suffered abuses and violations or were overthrown through coup d’état, which explained the reason why Ghanaians gave an overwhelming endorsement for the 1992 Constitution through a referendum.

He, therefore, urged the congregants to endeavour to say something if they happen to see something by reporting to the security agencies personally or by dialling 999, 191, or 18555 shortcodes.

“Be vigilant in places like funeral grounds, lorry stations, markets, festivals, worship centres, and schools”, he emphasised.

Taalar also charged the congregants to actively participate in the pending District Level Elections (DLEs) and vote to elect competent Assembly and Unit Committee Members to lead the local development process.

“Most of the problems are solved in the communities if we are more concerned about the DLEs and who we elect to lead us in the local governance process”, he emphasised.

Pastor Bright Morrison, Head Pastor of the Piina Central Church of Pentecost, who spoke on inter-faith tolerance, encouraged participants to accept the beliefs and practices of every religion in the district since that was the only way peace could be ensured.