National Peace Council raises concern over hate speech, insults in the media

The National Peace Council (NPC) has expressed concerns about the rising spate of insults and hate speech by some Ghanaians against the clergy, politicians, chiefs and other prominent citizens on radio and television stations.

The Council said the call for violence by some political actors and rise of religious militants, including Christians, were also worrying and must be addressed to ensure peace and harmony.

The Reverend Dr. Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, Chairman of the National Peace Council, who expressed these sentiments, indicated that, while the church looked on and stakeholders only called on the Council for its response, was a clear neglect of the duty and responsibility of the Church.

He was speaking at the 61st annual refresher course, retreat and business session of the Ghana Baptist Convention Ministers’ Conference, held at Ejura in the Ashanti region.

This year’s conference was held on the theme: “Ministerial Ethics, Accountability and Responsibility in the 21st Century Church.”

Rev. Dr. Adu-Gyamfi stated that, last year Ghana lost its position on the Global Peace Index as the most peaceful country in West Africa to Sierra Leone and as the second most peaceful country in Africa to the fourth position.

“While the church in Ghana continues to glory in the fact that we have 72 percent Christians in Ghana, our numbers do not correspond to the peace, stability, and cohesion that one would have expected in a country with that number of Christians.

“If 72 per cent Ghanaians are Christians, why are we on this trajectory,” he inquired.

He said the leaders of the church had a responsibility to give direction to Ghana through their pulpits, adding that churches “could advocate through our Councils instead of allowing the media and politicians to dictate the pace and the future of our country.”

Bothering on the upcoming general election in December, he said the election would test the peace, unity, stability, cohesion, and resilience of the county and ministers of churches had a responsibility to preach and demonstrate peace for their congregation to follow.

“As individual leaders and collectively as a denomination, let us lead our nation through our ministerial ethics and accountability such that after this year’s election, there will not be a single bloodshed in the country. You have a responsibility as Ministers of the Gospel to protect the peace of our country by shaping the hearts and minds of Ghanaians towards peaceful co-existence, right behaviour, and politics without insults and violence.” he counseled.

Mrs. Irene Naa Torshie Addo-Lartey, Administrator, District Assemblies Common Fund, called on Ghanaians to champion the course of tolerance and peace.

She said Ghana stood as a beacon of democracy and all leaders in politics and in religion must ensure that the vibrancy of democracy was matched by civility of our discourse, fostering an atmosphere where diverse views are accepted and harmony prevailed.

Rev. Dr. Charles Owusu Ampofo, President, Baptist Ministers’ Conference, called on the government to be prudent with its expenditure while ensuring that the citizenry had a fair share of national cake.