MINISTER CALLS FOR INTERCESSORY PRAYERS FOR KUSAUG LAND
The Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. Stephen Yakubu has called for intercessory prayers from the Ahamadiyya Muslim Mission for peace in Bawku and its surrounding communities.
He said the killing of nine travellers in two mini-buses on the Pusiga-Pulmakom stretch of road on Thursday, September 21 by some unknown gunmen was uncalled for, and emphasized the need for continuous prayers to remedy the situation in the area.
“Let’s continue to pray for the peace of the country particularly the region which has been bedeviled with numerous land and chieftaincy conflicts,” he said.
The Minister, who is the Chair of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), made the appeal at the 37th Annual National Rally of the Ahamadiyya Muslim Elders Association conference in Bolgatanga on Friday.
The National rally was on the theme: “Celebrating 100 years of Ahamadiyya in Ghana: the Role of the Elders Association.”
Hon. Yakubu described as devastating the negative impact of the continuous conflict on the development agenda of the region.
He mentioned the crisis in the neighbouring Sahelian countries resulting into the inundation of asylum seekers into Upper East Region and added that the extremists of this violence hid under the cover of Islam in perpetuating this act to achieve their selfish interest by engaging in the killing of innocent children and women but which was contrary to the teachings and beliefs of Islamic religion.
“Let’s not allow them to infiltrate our ranks and lure the youth into their activities.
The Regional Coordinating Council is working with other agencies like the UNHCR and the Ghana Refugees Board (GRB) to ensure that these asylum seekers are provided with basic necessities of life,” he said.
Alhaji Maulvi Noor Mohammed Bin Salih, the Ameer and Missionary-In-Charge of the Ahamadiyya Muslim Mission- Ghana, said the religious tolerance among Christians and Muslims in Ghana was not common in other countries.
“We are the envy of our neighbours for the fact that here in Ghana, families consists of both Muslims and Christians who live in one compound and eat from a common bowl yet, no religious strife,” he noted.
He said the Jihadists were eying the coastal land to have access to the sea so they could bring in weapons to fight legitimate governments as was the situation in landlocked countries.
He stressed that religious tolerance was necessary to prevent terrorists from infiltrating the country.
The Ameer said the extremists in Burkina Faso had taken over half of the country and government officials could not enter some parts of the country.
He, therefore, urged Ghanaians to forge unity in all their endeavours and not create a “safe environment,” especially through religious intolerance for such extremists elements to invade the country.
Right Reverend Father Samuel Atinga, the Priest of the Sacred Heart Cathedral Parish, in a goodwill message from the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocese, congratulated the Ghana Ahamadiyya Muslim Elders Association for their 100years of existence and their support in the education and health sectors of the economy.
He said such an occasion was not just to give thanks to Allah for having journeyed with them thus far, but also an opportunity to undertake some retrospection and build on the successes chalked.
