The Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), an association of ministers of the gospel, drawn from both the Pentecostal and Charismatic churches in the Tarkwa -Nsuaem Municipality of the Western Region, have extended an appeal to political parties and their leaders to make every effort to conduct their campaigns with decorum, both in word and deed.

Additionally, the campaigns should be devoid of insults and rancour.

The GPCC, which made the appeal at a press conference to state its position on how it wanted politicians and political parties to conduct themselves ahead of the December 7 general elections, added: “We will continue to pray and ask God’s protection for all politicians throughout their campaigns. For this reason, we expect all political parties in Ghana to desist from using weapons, physical strength, or verbal attacks on their competitors.

Considering the usual practice of politicians engaging in vote-buying, the GPCC urged the parties engaged in such acts to desist, since it did not augur well for the growth of democracy.

The Vice Chairman of the GPCC, Pastor Alexander Nii Ashong, who read the statement on behalf of the Council, however, observed that since most of the politicians were Christians, it was important to be led by their faith as Christians, and remember the need to preserve lives and property, even as they go about their peaceful campaigns.

Turning to the electorate, the GPCC Vice Chairman, Ashong, asked the electorate to avoid tribalism and sectionalism, and rather be each other’s keeper.

Reminding the electorate that Ghanaians were one people with one destiny, he said “All political parties belong to Ghanaians, and yet God is using the electorate to select a president for our country, and parliamentarian for your constituency”.

As a result, they should not sell their conscience for what he described as a ‘mess of pottage’.

That apart, they should also not allow themselves to be used in any way, covertly or overtly, to harm anybody.

Turning attention to the Electoral Commission (EC), the GPCC Vice Chairman called on the country’s mandated electoral body to be neutral, not only at its headquarters, but in the districts and regional levels, where it operates.

For this reason, nothing should be done in favour or seen to be in favour of one party against the other. Any party or individual, which has complaints, particularly, about the work of the EC, should lodge them at the right quarters, instead of resorting to unorthodox means.

It is this reason that the GPCC believes “all must allow the EC and the security agencies to do their work in peace.”

Continuing, the GPCC appealed to the security agencies assigned to assist with the electoral process, to also be neutral. Offenders of the electoral process, according to the GPCC, should not be manhandled, but taken through lawful process in love and respect.

The GPCC also reminded the media to discharge their critical gatekeeper role with excellence.

“As you remind yourselves of your professional ethics and the laws of Ghana, we appeal to you to bear in mind your brother and sisters in this country whose lives could be put in danger by any deliberate foul broadcasts from you.”

God, according to the GPCC, would ask journalists for the blood of any innocent person who will lose his life, as a result of any evil scheme from media personnel.

“As gate keepers, guard the public from evil reports and talk peace, unity and brotherliness. For this is of God.”