By Dennis Peprah
Sunyani, (Bono), Dec. 1, GNA – The Reverend Dennis Sasu, the District Pastor of the South Industrial Estate District of the Church of Pentecost in Sunyani, has called for a sustained peace and unity ahead of the December 7 polls.
He reminded Ghanaians that the repercussions of a political unrest on the nation remained enormous and therefore urged the electorates to behave well as the electioneering geared up.
Pastor Sasu made the call when he delivered a sermon at the Kings Assembly of the church in Sunyani, underscoring the importance of maintaining peace throughout the electoral process, saying that the absence of peace could have far-reaching consequences for the church’s mission of evangelism too.
“Peace is the cornerstone of our national development and progression of the church,” he stated, adding that “without peace, our development efforts will stall, our communities will suffer and the future becomes uncertain.”
Pastor Sasu said political violence could lead to economic instability, disrupt education, and strain healthcare systems, and thereby affect everyday life, while political unrest would hinder the church’s ability to fulfil her spiritual and social missions.
“The church thrives in an environment of peace, harmony and social cohesion,” he stated, adding that “if communities are divided, our efforts to spread the message of love, hope, and unity will be highly compromised.
“In fact the church’s role as a sanctuary and a source of support becomes even more crucial in times of political turmoil,” Pastor Sasu indicated, and called on political parties to remain decorous in the election season.
He also urged them to respect and adhere to the electoral process and appealed to the youth to eschew all forms of violent behaviours, highlighting their vital roles in promoting peaceful general elections.
He said the youth were the torchbearers of society and so they must be empowered to engage in constructive dialogue and to reject all forms of violence too.
Pastor Sasu urged them to channel their energies and passions towards building a united and prosperous nation.
He also highlighted the role of the media towards a peaceful election, and urged practitioners to remain professional and avoid embellishing their stories on the coverage of the elections.
He observed that unnecessary exaggeration of stories on the election could exacerbate tensions, inflame passions and trigger political violence and disturb the prevailing peace of the nation.
Pastor Sasu also appealed to churches to set special time aside and pray for the nation to sail through a peaceful and successful general election.
GNA