Religion of Friday, 2 January 2009

Source: GNA

Pastor calls on government to improve on national security

Accra, Jan.2, GNA- Archbishop Slezer Ofori-Atta, Presiding Archbishop of the International Council for Clergy, on Friday called on government to take decisive action to arrest the act of lawlessness governing the country's electoral process. He appealed to President John Agyekum Kufuor as Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, to be proactive in maintaining national security, stressing that the intimidation of the electorate in the exercise of their franchise could undermine global confidence in the process.

Archbishop Ofori-Atta said: "Heads of the security agencies should check the movement of machomen who go round to seize ballot boxes and intimidate the people." He said the concern of all the stakeholders of the election, especially the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) should focus on peace and not violence. Arcbishop Ofori-Atta said the NPP and NDC campaigned for votes to govern and not to cow down the people. He appealed to the two parties to shy Away from utterances that could inflame passion.

Archbishop Ofori-Atta asked religious leaders to take a stand for peace and not take a partisan stance to divide their congregation. He suggested to the Electoral Commission to allow any party that feel cheated in the elections to use the due process to resolve their grievances.