Sunyani, Nov 19, GNA – Apostle Mark Obeng Andoh, the Sunyani Area Head of the Church of Pentecost on Thursday entreated Ministers of God to propagate the message of peace and refrain from using their pulpits in talking about politics.
He observed the message of peace which was the hallmark of Jesus Christ was what the general public needed most in the 2020 Election electioneering to enable them to follow the shining example of Jesus Christ, the King of peace and peace-seeker for all.
Apostle Andoh, who is also the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Coordinator of the Church of Pentecost was speaking at a day’s Peace Pledge Summit on election 2020 jointly organised by the Bono Christian Council and the Muslim community in Sunyani.
Under the theme, “Promoting Peace in Election 2020”, the summit brought together key stakeholders in the Election 2020 and Corporate Ghana “to lay out and prosecute an agenda for a peaceful, free and fair Election 2020 and subsequent re-launch of Corporate Ghana in 2021 for accelerated development”.
It was attended by representatives of all political parties, Electoral Commission, the Muslim community, Pentecostal churches of Ghana, National Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches (NACCC), Peace Council, Traditional Authorities, security officers and the general public.
He said for men of God to talk about politics in church in an election year was not the best, since that could create confusion and affect the peace in the church, saying that not all the members of congregation belonged to one political party.
Apostle Andoh urged Ghanaians to strive hard to sustain the current peace being enjoyed in the country and never wished to have an experience of war as had happened and was happening in some countries.
He said there was nothing in the world that could be compared to peace and hoped it would be very excited for the Election 2020 to bring the people together in peace but not in pieces.
Right Reverend Festus Yeboah-Asuamah, the Bishop, Sunyani Diocese of the Anglican Church, who chaired the function noted that God had blessed Ghana with peace and that must never be taken for granted.
He therefore entreated Ghanaians to have the understanding that election had become part of the country’s democratic dispensation, saying it was required to be embraced by the people without any fear of pre-and post-election challenges of troubles and unnecessary fears.
Right Rev. Yeboah-Asuamah advised Ghanaians “to accept the outcome of elections with the view that it is Ghana that wins after elections and not any political party or individual”.
He appealed to all stakeholders to unite and pray for free and fair election for a victorious Ghana.
Lawyer Ernest Opoku, the Sunyani Municipal Electoral Officer, said it was the mandate of the Electoral Commission (EC) to organise free, fair, transparent, credible and peaceful election in the country and therefore assured the Commission would live up to that task in the Election 2020.
He expressed the hope the Election 2020 would be one of the most peaceful ever organised by the Commission in the country.
The political parties’ representatives at the summit pledged for peace in the upcoming election on December 7 and appealed to the EC to remain neutral in the exercise to maintain peace in the country.
The stakeholders after the summit appended their signatures to the election 2020 peace pledge forms.
GNA