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The clergy has appealed to politicians to be moderate in their promises to the electorate so as not to deceive them.

The  founder of the Perez Chapel International, Bishop Charles Agyin Asare, and  National Director of Evangelism of the E.P. Church, Ghana, Reverend Emmanuel Antwi-Tumfuor, have  appealed to political leaders to refrain from making promises they cannot keep
 

Electorates

They, therefore, .called on politicians to be sincere to the electorate and only promise what they can deliver within their tenure of office.

 Such political conduct, they said, made it difficult for the citizens to trust politicians.

Delivering his New Year message during a watchnight service at the Perez Chapel International at Dzorwolu last Friday, Bishop Agyin Asare said “I pray that we do not get to the point where the citizens become apathetic simply because our governments are simply not doing enough.”

Dressed in white, the congregation ushered in the New Year with songs of praise, worship and dancing.

Politicians must be circumspect

Bishop Agyin Asare said as the nation prepared for its seventh presidential and parliamentary elections in 2016, Ghanaians must make the effort to protect the peace prevailing in the country.

“As the country girds its loins for political campaigns that usually put the nation on edge, political leaders have to be circumspect in their statements during the campaigns.

“That means we must desist from provoking one another through abusive communication and disrespect,” he said.

Bishop Agyin Asare added that as a people, Ghanaians must pray that the peace of God would continue to rule the nation and that there would not be any confusion as they prepared for the elections.

 For his part, Reverend Antwi-Tumfuor  said leaders of political parties should be bold and expose any of their members or supporters who engaged in activities that might not be healthy for national cohesion and progress.

“In the run-up to the elections, our security personnel should be fair, firm and friendly in the attempt to maintain law and order.  Their actions should not portray them as being biased towards any political party or ethnic group,” Rev. Antwi-Tumfuor said in his New Year message to Ghanaians.

National stability

He charged church leaders to encourage supporters of the various political parties in their congregations to conduct themselves in a manner that would ensure national stability after the 2016 general election. He added that the churches, with their unique position, should prevail on their members who are supporters of the various political parties to put Ghana first in their politicking

Ghanaians, he said, needed to see themselves as one people who had divergent views on the best way to improve on their lives.

“It is an acknowledged fact that, the churches in Ghana continue to play significant roles in national development through the provision of education, health, economic and other activities to make life comfortable for all citizens. All the efforts of the churches to support Ghana’s development can only be sustained in an atmosphere of peaceful co-existence among citizens,” he said.

Leading the crusade

Rev Antwi-Tumfuor, who is also the District Pastor of the E.P Church Elom Parish at Ho-Bankoe in the Volta Region, said the churches in Ghana had the responsibility of leading the crusade for peaceful polls this year and in the years ahead. .

“My brother and sister, what Mother Ghana brings to us will depend a great deal on what we bring to Mother Ghana. So, let us as a people with a common destiny endeavour to promote peace among ourselves.  We will continue to know peace when the power of love overcomes the love of power.

“For those of us in Ghana, this new year is very unique, as we again have the opportunity to showcase to the global community that, constitutional democracy has firmly taken root in our country,” he said.

Pull Quote

They, therefore, .called on politicians to be sincere to the electorates and only promise what they can deliver within their tenure of office.