By Philip Tengzu
Wa (UW/R), Aug. 30, GNA – The Ameer and Missionary-in-Charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana, Maulvi Noor Mohammed Bin Salih, says partisan politics and religion are major threats to the country’s peace and peaceful coexistence.
He said partisan politics and religion are not inherently bad, but their misinterpretation and negative application can create divisions and threaten national stability.
Maulvi Bin Salih said this at the weekend during the opening of the 40th National Conference (Ijtema) of Majlis Ansarullah Ghana, the elders’ wing of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community.
The conference, on the theme: “Upholding Moral Excellence in the Digital Age: The Role of Ansarullah,” attracted participants across the country and from Nigeria, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire.
“There is nothing wrong with partisan politics. Partisan politics is a means by which we get the best representatives out of us and entrust them with our collective trust.
“Unfortunately, we have interpreted it differently, and we find ourselves at each other’s throats.
The outcome of it being that the peace of our country is always threatened,” Maulvi Bin Salih explained.
He also indicated that “religious wars” can be devastating to peaceful coexistence and had the potential to destroy entire communities and nations.
The Ameer urged Ghanaians to learn from the country’s founding leaders, particularly their efforts to promote national integration through boarding schools, where people from different cultural, religious and regional backgrounds interacted and developed a common Ghanaian identity.
He, therefore, indicated that Muslims, particularly the Ansarullah, have a responsibility to contribute to the development of Ghana by promoting peace, morality, unity and responsible citizenship.
Maulvi Bin Salih urged Muslims to emulate the Holy Prophet Muhammad, who demonstrated patience and forgiveness, by promoting tolerance and peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians.
He said morality required every Ghanaian to consciously act in ways that promote peace and progress, stressing that it is a responsibility of the current generation to hand over a united, peaceful and loving country to future generations.
Mr Charles Lwanga Puozuing, the Upper West Regional Minister, also called on Muslim elders to use their experience and influence to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s development.
He said their maturity places them in a unique position to mentor the younger generation and promote education, peaceful coexistence and community development.
He added that moral excellence was not only a religious concern but also a development issue, and that sustainable national development cannot thrive on dishonesty, corruption, indiscipline and intolerance.
Mr Puozuing indicated that Ansarullah has a responsibility to guide young people in navigating the digital environment responsibly.
The Minister encouraged them to continue supporting initiatives that promote education, peaceful coexistence, moral upbringing and the welfare of vulnerable people.
Reverend Father Aloysius Nuolabong, who represented the Catholic Bishop of Wa, called on religious communities to work together to promote moral values, responsible use of technology and peaceful coexistence in Ghana.
He said the theme of the Ijtema was appropriate and urgent given the increasing influence of technology on society.
Rev. Fr. Nuolabong explained that religious bodies have an important role to play in promoting ethical values and human development while enabling responsible use of digital technology.
He also advocated aggressive digitalisation of public service delivery to help reduce opportunities for corruption by limiting unnecessary human interaction and protecting citizens who resisted corrupt practices.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo
Reporter: Philip Tengzu, GNA
Email: [email protected]