A Senior Ghanaian Ecclesiastical leader of the Roman Catholic Church has urged Ghanaians to care for one another as they prepare to cast their ballot in next week Wednesday’s presidential and parliamentary elections.
Cardinal Peter Appiah Turkson said elections, which is a key tenet of democracy, is a celebration of Ghana’s achievements over the years and not about disunity.
The Cardinal who is the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace made these comments in a video message to participants at the Accra Peace Accord, Thursday from his base in Rome, Italy.
The event was organised by the Commonwealth Observer Mission headed by former South Africa President, Thabo Mbeki.
The various Presidential Candidates contesting in next weeks presidential election were brought together to commit to peace ahead of the polls.
There have been concerns from a lot of Ghanaians about post-electoral violence as has happened in some African countries due to disagreement after elections.
The concerns heightened when supporters of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) clashed on several occasions during keep-fit exercises.
Cardinal Turkson has wondered why Ghanaians would rise against the other because of the political ambition of some individuals.
“The political campaigning that is going on and the party leadership in which we decided to exercise political leadership within, must be subjected to this basic principles and criteria [of brotherly love transcending political difference].
“Does party politics enhance our brotherly existence? Or does it make us more separated, emphasise divisions tensions and all of that in this country?” he quizzed.
The first Ghanaian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church said Ghanaians must transcend politics to care for one another for the general good of the nation.
“When our exercise of party politics, campaign, and electoral procedure do not enhance our brotherly living but rather enhances and stresses our separation with acrimony and all that then we are betraying the basic vocation that we have as citizens of this land,” he added.
Source: myjoyonline
