GA S: Afriyie Ankrah calls for concerted efforts to maintain peace

Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah

A  Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Mr. Elvis Afriyie Ankrah has said government has resolved to condemn any member of the NDC party whose conduct could halt the peace in the country as the 2012 election beckons.

The Deputy Minister made this statement at the Faith Chapel Assemblies of God Church, McCarthy Hill, when he addressed church members and leaders of political parties at a special prayer session for peace in the upcoming election.

According to him, it was not enough to talk about peace saying that action speaks louder than words.

 “It is for this reason that the party has issued a code of conduct to their members to remind them that they would be shamed publicly if they went contrary to the directive”, he stressed.

He called on political party leaders to lead exemplary lives, “by making statements and conducting themselves in a manner that will promote peace”.

He called for concerted action to deal with people who would make divisive statement.

The Member of Parliament for the Weija Constituency, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey expressed worry at the decay of Ghanaian culture which had given rise to indiscipline and disrespect for the elderly.

“This negative tendency is demonstrated on the radio airwaves every morning when phone lines are opened for public opinion”, she lamented. She called for collective action to address the problem.

She asked Ghanaians to take a cue from what happened to neighbouring countries like La Cote d’Ivoire, Serria Leone, Sudan and others and amend their ways.

The MP called on the youth not to allow themselves to be used by politicians and individuals to forment trouble.

Preaching the sermon on the theme ‘Peace be still’, the Minister in-charge of the church, Rev. Ben-Newlife-Zoto stated that Christians would be committing a serious sin if they failed to pray for Ghana since the Bible admonished them to do so.

He said individual peace was embedded in the overall national peace, and therefore all should pray for peaceful election.

Ghanadistricts.com