Ben Abdallah Banda receiving the citation on behalf of the Vice President
Muslims Association of Judicial Service of Ghana have held their annual lecture on interfaith harmony for peaceful elections.
The April 6, 2024 event, took place at the auditorium of the Law Courts Complex in Accra.
Speaking on the theme “Interfaith Harmony as a Mechanism for Peaceful Election: The Role of Christians and Muslims,” Imam Ishmael Okotah Badoo, of the Ghana Muslim Mission, called on Muslims and Christians to enhance the peaceful co-existence between them to prove to the world that they have lived together in peace even before party politics.
He challenged the over 300 audience including students, chiefs and police to conduct themselves in a manner that would ensure peace before, during and after the December 7 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Bishop MacDonald Brown, who was invited to join the Muslim scholars to give practical meaning to the theme, said that “the already existing interfaith harmony between Christians and Muslims in Ghana is an indication that the December 7 presidential and parliamentary general elections would be peaceful.
He, however, cautioned that it does not mean that Muslims and Christians should take it for granted.
Bishop MacDonald Brown was particularly happy that Ghana, for the first time, is presenting a Muslim and Christian presidential candidates to be elected to succeed President Akufo-Addo.
Dr. Mohammed Marzuq Abubakari Azindoo, who represented the National Chief Imam, told the ecumenical audience of Muslims and Christians that, the theme for the event reflected what the National Chief Imam has been preaching over the years.
He argued that the National Chief Imam has been visiting churches in the country to demonstrate to the Muslims and Christians in Ghana that any religion that does not preach religious tolerance is not sanctioned by God.
Alhaji Ben Abdallah Banda, who represented the Vice President at the event, stated that the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) does not only agree with the theme of the event but has also demonstrated and practicalised it.
“If the NPP as a Christian dominated political party decided to choose a Muslim such as Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to lead it in to the general election, it means that Muslims and Christians are already living in harmony in Ghana,” he pointed out.
He posited a question to the audience who were largely Muslims, “If a Christian dominated political party who have been consistently accused of discriminating against Muslims has decided to elect Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to be voted as the next president of Ghana, what are you waiting for?”
A citation of honour was presented to the Vice President, part of which read, “The Muslims Association of the Judicial Service of Ghana is proud of you.”
In his welcome address, the president of the association, Habib Hudu, told the audience that he was ready to work towards reducing crimes in the Zongo communities in the country.
He recalled the Vice President’s pledge to support a pilot project of sponsoring Zongo indigenes to study law.
By A.R. Gomda