Clergy in Ghana Told to Desist from Political Predictions ahead of National Elections

And it is the role of Civil Society Organizations to intensify voter and civic education, help monitor the election processes and conduct, call attention to errant behaviors and “whatever would undermine the noble values of peace, tranquility and political development of the nation,” according to the Bishops in Ghana. 

In their pastoral letter dubbed “Politics for Nation Building and Social Cohesion in Ghana,” the members of GCBC urge the people of God in the West African nation to use politics as a peace-building tool.

“In about four months, we shall be participating in another momentous democratic exercise to elect our president and our 275 legislators to steer the affairs of our country for the next four-year political mandate,” the Bishops say.

They add, “As your Shepherds, we deem it appropriate to issue this pastoral letter as a reminder to you, our fellow citizens to embrace politics as an indispensable tool for nation building.”

“We, therefore, urge all Ghanaians to work consciously towards peace building and abhor the acrimonious type of politics now gaining currency in our dear country,” the Bishops say.

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The misconducts that Ghanaians have been warned to desist from include monetization of electoral politics, vigilantism, media sensationalism, politics of ethnicity and disrespect for authority and for the elderly.

The business of buying and selling of votes, the Catholic Prelates in Ghana observe, corrupts the nobility of politics, and distorts people’s power and will under influence of money. That when this happens, politicians are elected not for their good leadership qualities, their high moral and ethical values, as well as the noble vocation to serve the common good and the country, but for their money.

“Let us eschew such political and electoral corruption,” the Bishops say.

They further urge Ghanaians to desist from participating in vigilantism and electoral violence, maintaining that the “twin evils have again reared their ugly heads at recent elections and shockingly in the course of the voter registration exercise.”

“If not duly exorcised from our body politic, these threaten to plague the 2020 elections, in spite of the enactment of legislations and the endorsement and signing of an inter-party code of conduct and a roadmap to peace,” they say in their collective letter.

Further, the Bishops call upon media practitioners in the country to uphold high journalistic standards, ethics and values and to avoid information sensationalism, fake news and what the Bishops refer to as “politics of insult” in their reportage of the electoral processes and activities.

According to the Prelates, journalism is an indispensable component of politics which is, unfortunately, facing the threat of widespread use of fake news, insulting language as well as dirty propaganda in election campaigns and in political discourse.   

Condemning the increasing politics of ethnicity, the Bishops says, “Ghana, our dear country, is our only heritage. We should avoid the negative and highly divisive politics of ethnocentrism, mud-slinging and attacks on ethnic groups and personalities... Let politics focus on issues that serve the greater good, that will bring unity and peace, development and dignity to all our fellow citizens and even the “stranger” living in our midst.”

The elections, they further say, provide an opportune moment for the people in Ghana to celebrate the country’s success as an emerging democracy, and also to reflect on how best to confront the inevitable socio-cultural and economic challenges that could pose threat to the forthcoming elections.

“As a nation, let us do everything in our power to maintain the enviable reputation we have so far established as one of Africa’s leading countries whose democratic development is a shining beacon for others to follow,” he says, adding that for more than a quarter of a century, Ghana has become an island of peace and stability in a sub-region threatened by terrorism, insurgence and armed conflict, and socio-political instability. 

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The Bishops also appeal to Ghanaians to observe religiously all the COVID-19 hygienic protocols.

“Please, let us all stay safe to serve God and Country,” they say in their August 10 collective statement.

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.