Dr Abu Sakara Foster, a former presidential candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), has admonished the youth to stay united in spite of religious and sectoral differences.

He noted that “the nation is fortunate to be enjoying peace, unity and stability, we cannot afford to destroy it, we need to be conscious of what is happening to countries around us and work towards protecting our peace, unity and stability.

Dr Foster was speaking at a national consultative meeting of the Chiefs of Wangara (Mende) held under the theme: ‘Peace, unity, and development: the way forward.’

“Today, we have many issues and situations surrounding our country, our neighbours don’t know peace, we have challenges in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali due to extremist nature driven under the cover of religious extremism.

If our people do not understand that this is a ploy and that this peaceful coexistence with our fellow Ghanaians can be disturbed by following such people, then we will have challenges,” Dr Foster cautioned.

He observed that the meeting was important because it presented an opportunity for them as Mendes to affirm their commitment, dedication and determination as citizens of this country and congratulated the chiefs for organising the meeting which had brought together people who had been dispersed in the Diaspora for a long time.

“The meeting should help you to renew your sense of purpose and also help to examine how you can better contribute to the respective countries where you find yourselves, we want to also demonstrate that regardless of religion, we can live in peace, unity and harmony and nobody should bring the extremist religions into Ghana to provoke any unrest.

“The meeting should also inform your extended members, Wangaras, Gonjas and Walas among others, that they are one because they come from the old Ghana empire and can co-exist peacefully,” Dr Foster stressed.