By Christiana Afua Nyarko, GNA
Accra, Jan. 28, 2026, GNA – The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) has called on Ghanaians to uphold peaceful coexistence, tolerance and mutual respect across religious, political and social divides as the New Patriotic Party (NPP) enters a critical election period.
The Council made the call at a media event held on Wednesday at its headquarters at Osu in Accra to commemorate the International Day of Peaceful Coexistence.
Rev. Dr. Cyril G. K. Fayose, the General Secretary of the CCG, said sustainable national development could not be achieved without peace and holistic respect for human dignity.
He explained that peace went beyond the mere absence of conflict to include socioeconomic justice, respect for human rights, and the deliberate promotion of mutual understanding among people, irrespective of faith or political affiliation.
Rev. Dr. Fayose commended the United Nations for its role in advancing global peace, security and human rights, particularly through collaboration with faith-based organisations.
“We entreat all Ghanaians across religious and political lines to embrace diversity and uphold interfaith harmony. Peaceful coexistence must be the foundation of our democratic practice,” he said.
He appealed to the New Patriotic Party, the Ghana Police Service, the Electoral Commission and other security agencies to ensure a peaceful conduct of the internal party elections scheduled for Saturday, January 31.
Reflecting on global memory and national responsibility, Rev. Dr. Fayose referenced recent interfaith activities marking the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, stressing the need to reject all forms of hatred, genocide and human rights abuses.
Mr Samuel Koku Sitsofe Anyidoho, the Chairman of the CCG’s planning committee for the event, described the commemoration as significant, noting that it marked the inaugural observance of the International Day of Peaceful Coexistence.
Mr Anyidoho, a senior communications expert, said the event bridged solemn remembrance with a forward-looking commitment to tolerance, human rights and peaceful engagement.
Drawing on his personal experience, including his father’s service with the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) during the 1994 genocide, he cautioned that unchecked division and intolerance could have devastating consequences.
“This event is a meaningful step towards choosing coexistence over conflict and dialogue over division,” he said.
The Reverend Victor Kpakpo Addo Jnr, also known as Azigizaa Junior, who represented Mr Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah, Presidential Envoy for Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations, described peaceful coexistence as essential to Ghana’s collective future and national development.
He conveyed warm greetings from President John Dramani Mahama and the Presidential Envoy, urging all Ghanaians to serve as ambassadors of peace, unity and inclusion in their homes, communities and the nation at large.
The event brought together the clergy, interfaith representatives and members of the public, reaffirming the Christian Council’s commitment to promoting peace, shared dignity and collaborative action as Ghana navigates its democratic processes.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe