Former President and flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, who joined the Ahlussunna Wal-Jama'a group in their Eid-Ul-Adha prayers at the forecourt of the State House in Accra Sunday, called for continuous prayers for peace and successful holding of the upcoming general election.
That he explained was the only way to maintain the peace the country was currently enjoying, explaining that elections are about policies and programmes and not violence.
Mr Mahama expressed concern about the amount of fees charged for a Muslim who wants to go to Mecca, as we speak some of our Muslim brothers and sisters are in Mecca performing Hajj, adding "I would say they are the privileged ones because Hajj fares at GH¢ 75,000, how can the ordinary Ghanaian Muslim be able to go,"and promised to work hard to reduce the fares for the Hajj to make it affordable for every Muslim in the country when elected into office.
He presented an amount of GH¢20,000 and a sheep to the group to support their celebration as it was a period of sacrifice and gift.
LAWRENCE VOMAFA-AKPALU reports from Ashongman in Accra that the Ameer and Missionary-In-charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Ghana, Alhaj Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih has urged Ghanaians especially Muslims to embrace peace during and after this year's elections.
According to him Ghana is the only country we have and the only way to maintain that peace is for politicians and their followers to conduct their campaigns devoid of acrimony and inflammatory speeches that could plunge the country into chaos.
Alhaj Salih lamented that the country's current social and political journey is overwhelmed by beating of war drums coupled with unbridled inflammatory utterances, vindictive pronouncements and prophecies of political doom while political activists accusing each other openly on television and radio with unprintable words which does not augur well for nation building and peaceful co-existence.
Alhaj Salih also said that the chronic impasse between some political parties and the Electoral Commission with its acrimonious consequences could have been avoided if human craving had not entered all the parties instead of the sacrificial work expected of them.
He stated that the country had gotten to this stage because of the inability to sacrifice the animal craving in us which are symbolic of greed, avarice, geocentricism and covetousness symphonic of the desire for political authority which each believes was an exclusive right to the exclusion of all others.
The Ameer charged the members of the mission to be guided by the sacrifice of Abraham and rededicate themselves to the service of Allah and mankind in order to do away with the desire to amass wealth regardless of the well-being and developmental needs of the ordinary man even though we claim to run a welfare state.
The Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, on behalf of the Vice President, Dr Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, presented an undisclosed amount of money to the sect as his contribution to the celebrations.
SAMUEL AGBEWODE reports from Ho, that the Volta Regional Chief Imam, Alfa Anas Hamidu, commended Muslims for the peaceful manner they conducted themselves during the Holy period, and stressed the need for them to let peace take the centre stage in all their activities.
Islam, he explained should never be seen as a violent religion because it stands for peace, unity and demonstration of love towards one another and warned Muslim youths against indulgence in violence activities during and after the election because politics is not meant for conflict but to promote development.
The Ho Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Divine R.K Bosson, assured that the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) would ensure peace during and after the election, adding that the pending election was not about the NDC or NPP but mainly about which political party could bring development to the people.
The leader of the Ahlussunna Muslim sect in the Oti Region, Imam Ibrahim Razak called on Muslims to live in peace with all persons at all times, adding that it was important to ensure peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians as well as to ensure peace during and after the general election.
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The New Patriotic Party Parliamentary candidate for Krachi-East, Mr Michael Gyato, lauded Muslims for peacefully coexisting with all tribes and requested that Muslims should pray to Allah to choose a president that would lead Ghana into prosperity.
YAHAYA NUHU NADAA, reports from the Tamale Jubilee Park that Alhaji Abdul Salam Ahmed, the Northern Regional Chief Imam, leading the prayers urged Muslims to pray for the continued peace in Tamale and the country in general.
He said the country would soon get to serious campaign and it was time they pray for peace in the political parties' campaign and assured that the Imams and the Ulmmah will continue to pray for peace during and after the elections and charged leaders of political parties to see themselves as brothers and not enemies.
The Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu, urged Muslims in the region to strengthen their faith in Allah for more prayers for peace and development in this country and appealed to the good people of the region to unite for a peaceful election in December to protect the gains made over the years.
