President John Mahama
President John Mahama has called on both Christian and Muslim worshippers to cherish the cordial relations they have enjoyed over the years, as their religious tolerance has contributed to nation-building.
Speaking at the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at the Black Star Square last Friday, President Mahama said Ghana stands as a shining example of peaceful coexistence, indicating that religious tolerance among its citizens has received global appraisals.
“Ghana continues to stand as a shining example of peaceful coexistence. Our diversity of faith and culture is not a weakness; it is rather our strength. Muslims and Christians celebrate each other’s holidays, participate in each other’s ceremonies, and we coexist as one people,” he said.
He called on the citizenry to reject any form of disunity, such as religious bigotry, saying, “Let us reject anything that will divide us. Let us reject extremism and intolerance. Let us choose dialogue over discord. Let us choose unity over division, and let us choose peace over conflict.”
The President added that Ramadan teaches us the enduring values of self-discipline, compassion, generosity, and humility, emphasising that it is not only a celebration, but also a call to continuity.
“Let us carry forward the spirit of Ramadan in how we treat one another, in how we serve our communities, in how we uphold justice and fairness. Let us remain guided by compassion for the vulnerable and kindness to our neighbours and integrity in all that we do, fellow citizens,” he stated.
Create Opportunities
President Mahama assured the Muslim community of his government’s commitment to engineering the reset agenda to restore hope, rebuild trust, and create opportunities for ordinary Ghanaians.
“We’re focused on expanding access to quality education, creating jobs, especially for our youth, investing in infrastructure across all regions, strengthening our healthcare delivery, and empowering our Zongo and underserved communities.
“We’ll keep making sure that development reaches every part of our nation, but the government alone cannot achieve this. We need your partnership,” he added.
USA-Israel-Iran War
President Mahama also called for intensive prayers to end the conflict in the Middle East, as many innocent lives, including women and children, are being lost.
“On this solemn occasion of Eid, I invite all of us to offer prayers for peace in the Middle East. Let us pray that Allah will grant comfort to the bereaved families.
“Let us pray for the healing of those who have been injured, and let us pray for relief for those in distress, and wisdom for the leaders of the countries that are fighting to choose dialogue over war. The Holy Quran teaches us that saving one’s life is as if saving all of humanity,” he said.
Similarly, the Sunyani East Fiapre Circuit Missionary, Muallin Zakariyya Adam, has called for peace in the ongoing war between the USA and Israel with Iran.
During Ramadan, the congregation of Muallin Zakariyya Adam offered prayers to Allah and pleaded with Him to intervene and give peace a chance.
He charged the congregation to seek the face of Allah in ending the ongoing war, saying, “You don’t say it is far away, so it doesn’t affect you; it affects us in many ways, including the impact on our national economy.”
The congregation also offered prayers for the leadership of the country, asking Allah to prevail upon them to make good decisions that positively affect the lives of Ghanaians.
Mr. Adam admonished members to see the fasting period as an exercise to guard against evil, falsehood, foul and indecent language, violent behaviours, and other anti-social elements that must be discarded.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke & Daniel Dayee