Reverend Dr Hilliard K. Dela Dogbe, the Presiding Bishop, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, has called on the citizenry to pursue excellence and uphold the virtues of hard work, honesty, patriotism, and unity for a successful 2021.

He said as the country prepared to cross over to the New Year, 2021, there was the need to boldly address ‘residual issues’ that confronted the nation on the political and socio-economic front and that called for “true patriotism”.

Rev. Dogbe who said this on Friday in his Christmas message, noted that the period leading up to elections was quite acrimonious as political parties jostled to gain the trust and votes of the electorate and that it was time the tension was reduced and nationalism promoted for growth.

"Thankfully the elections were held in a very orderly... The post-election events have, however, been troubling; the needless and unfortunate loss of lives, the significant errors in the collation and declaration of results, plus allegations of fraud have marred an otherwise peaceful election process," he observed.

Rev. Dogbe said all was not lost and charged the citizens to be peace ambassadors and cherish peaceful coexistence for rapid growth.

He commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo “for the decisive leadership in steering the ship of state through the rather turbulent waters of 2020," especially, the Covid-19 pandemic and called for support from all.