Let Ramadan Translate Into Virtue - Minister

Mr Mark Owen Woyongo, Minister of Defence, on Thursday urged Muslims to let the Ramadan translate into virtues that promotes love, personal discipline and ability to sacrifice for the common good. �At a point where there is some level of anxiety within the body politic of the country; it is our fervent hope that Allah would answer our pleadings as we congregate for Eid prayers," he said. Mr Woyongo said this in a speech read on his behalf at Burma Camp in Accra during the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers by Muslims of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) as well as their families to climax the end of this year�s Ramadan. He said members of GAF had contributed to the peace being enjoyed through the professionalism they had exhibited in their duty to the state over the years. �A heightened consciousness on personal security is a sine qua non for the development of our communities�, he said. �This has definitely been accentuated by the acute sense of devotion experienced during the period, let us use this exercise to awaken in ourselves a more determined resolve to keep Ghana safe,� the Minister said. Vice Admiral Matthew Quarshie, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), in a speech read on his behalf, noted that service in the GAF was unique as it was the only institution in which personnel swear an oath to defend and uphold the integrity of the state even at the peril of their lives. �I believe that throughout the period of Ramadan, you have renewed your pledges to uphold the sanctity of the Ramadan and the fundamentals of Islam. �It is my expectation that the rigours of this spiritual exercise would strengthen your individual and collective resolves to uphold and defend the Constitution and our motherland,� the CDS said. Lieutenant Colonel Umar Sanda Ahmed, Chief Imam of the GAF, urged Muslims to let the lessons of honesty, fellow feeling, patience and tenacity of purpose manifest as they sought to be close to the Almighty. �Translating these lessons from the individual level to the broader communal and national landscape encumbers us to do greater service to fellow citizens.� �Our outlook to national objectives should be underpinned by a moral call to do the right thing at the work place to improve the lot of society," he said.