Kpone Katamanso Imam Council, stakeholders discuss peaceful Election 2024
The Kpone Katamanso Metropolitan Imam Councils of the Greater Accra Region, on Saturday held a forum at the Bethlehem Central Mosque, to sensitise stakeholders to embrace peace during and after the December 7 General Election.
The stakeholders promised to ensure issue-based campaigns, civility and to accept the outcome of the polls.
They, however, expressed worry about misinformation, and disinformation which posed threat to peace and stability, because people could easily be swayed by inaccurate information.
The forum, held on the theme: “Role of Katamanso Metropolitan Imam Council towards promoting peaceful election 2024,” was to sustain socio-economic development of the metropolis and the country in general.
It was attended by the Imams, Catechist Peter Tawiah, who represented Reverend Alex Frempong of the Presby Church; Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kofi Everistus Amemate of the Kpone Police Command.
Others were: the Metropolitan Director of the National Commission on Civic Education, Seth Sotie; the New Patriotic Party Parliamentary Candidate for Kpone Katamanso Constituency, William Ofosu Asante; the Progressive People’s Party Parliamentary Candidate for Kpone Katamanso, Samson Kofi Agbene, and the representative of the incumbent Member of Parliament and National Democratic Congress Parliamentary Candidate for the same constituency, Joseph Akwuertey.
They pledged to sustain the peace, security and development of the area that is touted for its peaceful conduct of elections since 1992.
Setting the tone for the discussion which was characterised by camaraderie, the Kpone Katamanso Metropolitan Chief Imam, Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, said the fundamental freedom of expression, thought, conscience, among others, formed the bedrock of democracy that ensures that every citizen could make their choices “without coercion, fear or interference.”
He said the Imams have resolved to educate the community, guide the youth to eschew violence, collaborate with the security agencies to identify and address potential troublemakers.
Catechist Peter Tawiah noted that Ghanaians value peace, adding that “we should stand firm, we should resolve within our power to uphold peace and eschew violence. The deaths recorded in the last elections is not good for the country.”
Mr Sotie urged the clergy and Muslim clerics to use their influence to promote peace, respect for each other’s rights and responsibilities, tolerance, and participation in the democratic processes with civility.
ASP Amemate said the election taskforce would ensure peace and security during and after the elections.
He said the police would perform its role with professionalism, and urged the public to cooperate with the security agencies.
The chairman of the Advisory Board of the council, Shaikh Sa-id Mukhtar Abubakar, said As-Salam, which means peace, was a great attribute of Allah, and that Muslims were peace brokers as Allah urged them to spread the message of peace.
Making references to the Holy Quran and the Hadiths, Shaik Abukakar urged Muslims to uphold the virtue of peace “by promoting peace in every situation, to give meaning to the Quranic exhortation and the practices of the Holy prophet of Islam.”
FROM ALHAJI SALIFU ABDUL-RAHAMAN, KPONE KATAMANSO