<<Print>>

The outgoing Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana Right Reverend Professor Emmanuel Martey has said that ensuring peaceful election is a collective responsibility of every Ghanaian.

He has therefore asked political parties, civil society organizations, and all stakeholders to ensure that the 2016 election was peaceful, free, fair, transparent and credible.

The Moderator said this at the opening of the 16th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at Abetifi Kwahu on Saturday.

The General Assembly, which is the highest decision making body of the Church, is being attended by 250 Commissioners, and Corresponding Members from all the 20  Presbyteries, both home and abroad.

Rt. Rev. Prof. Martey said it was important to sensitize the public on the need to make the election peaceful and also for the citizenry to guard against complacency as another election gradually draws closer.

He charged Ghanaians, especially the major stakeholders in the elections to do a thorough work to avoid the unnecessary tension in the country during elections.

“We of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana believe that violence before, during and after elections poses threat and danger not only to the electorate but also to the stability of the nation as well as to true democratic governance,” he said.

The moderator was of the view that electoral violence threatens voters, the nation, and democracy itself. He said the best approach to combating electoral violence was avoiding it altogether.

The Moderator called on the law enforcing agencies and security personnel to provide much needed security to ensure free and fair election.

“We must not take for granted the prevailing peaceful atmosphere in the country,” he reminded. 

The Eastern Regional Minister, Ms Mavis Ama Frimpong, who represented President John Dramani Mahama commended the Presbyterian Church of Ghana for its track record in discipline as well as its contribution to the social, economic, health and educational development of the Country.

She called on the Clergy to use their authority to help curb social cankers such as indiscipline, immorality, moral decadence and corruption among the youth in Ghana. She commended the Church for setting up various schools to help in the educational sector.

The Eastern Regional Minister said Government recognizes the immense contribution of the PCG towards the growth of the nation, particularly in the provision of basic, secondary and tertiary education, healthcare, agricultural services and other social interventions throughout the length and breadth of this country.

She said without doubt, the Government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of developing the nation and therefore encouraged the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and the entire Christian community and indeed other faith-based organizations, to continue partnering the Government in its development efforts.

The Regional Minister said government, under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, would continue to provide the enabling environment to sustain such fruitful partnership.