The Sekondi Area of The Church of Pentecost (COP) in the Western Region has launched its National 2020 Peace Campaign dubbed, “Agent of Peace” to educate and challenge its members to become agents of peace before, during and after this year’s election.
The campaign which also aimed at inspiring all citizens to seek peace before, during, and after the December 07 general elections was under the theme, “Seek Peace and Pursue It” and taken from Psalms 34:14.
This year’s edition was inspired by the Vision 2023 agenda of the Church, which has as its overarching theme, “Possessing the Nations: Transforming every Sphere of Society with Values and Principles of the Kingdom of God.”
It was attended by the various Religious bodies and political parties, Assembly Members, NCCE, security personnel, traditional leaders, some youth groups and members of the church.
In his welcome address, Apostle Daniel Kodjoe Sey, Sekondi Area Head of COP said God has been faithful to the nation in that though the coronavirus pandemic caused a lot of havoc in the country, by the grace of God we are now safe from the grips of the coronavirus.
He noted the Lord had been very gracious to the country in many aspects, especially regarding peace over the years, a reason why Ghana is celebrated across the world as a peaceful country in the West Africa sub-region and Africa as a whole.
According to him, making peace requires an intentional and conscious effort, hence the need for all to join hands in maintaining peace for our beloved country.
Nana Kofi Abuna V, Chief of Essipon stated that the peaceful atmosphere the country was enjoying was not by chance, but by contributions from the various stakeholders who sought and pursued peace in the previous elections.
She therefore advised the members of the public, political parties, and all stakeholders to see to it that peace prevails in the upcoming general elections and added that election was a matter of decision making and not fighting and that there was no need to entertain any form of violence.
Madam Ivy Crosby Arthur, Western Regional Deputy Director of the EC who represented the Commission pointed out that the country has experienced seven peaceful general elections with numerous by-elections in the Fourth Republic without hitches.
She therefore expressed the hope that the launch would contribute significantly to a peaceful electioneering process.
“As we move to the 2020 General Elections, we are confident that the Lord will once again grant Ghana His abiding peace. This will however not come by chance. We need to work at it. We need to seek and pursue it”, she opined.
She called on leaders and members of political parties to desist from politics of insults, needless arguments, use of abusive language and the use of derogatory comments during their campaigns.
Madam Arthur further assured the public of the readiness of the Commission to conduct free and fair, and transparent elections so as not to generate any electoral related violence.
The Deputy Western Regional Minister, Madam Gifty Eugenia Kusi who is also a deaconess of the church gave the assurance that the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) would ensure that peace was maintained during and after the elections in the region.
She also urged the youth not to allow themselves to be used by any political parties to incite violence during the elections.
Story: Seth Ameyaw Danquah
