Speak up against politics of falsehood - Prah

Page 17: September 16, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Supreme Knight of the Knights and Ladies of Marshall, Sir Knight Eddie Prah, has called on its members to speak up against the politics of falsehood and violence that sections of the society are perpetuating.
“It is possible that some of the people who are issuing threats, using abusive language and spreading falsehood about political opponents on radio and in the print media are our friends, family members, church members, work colleagues, or even Marshallan brothers and sisters,” he noted.
Sir Kt. Prah, therefore, urged members of the Marshallan fraternity, a catholic friendly society, not to keep silent while people perpetuate actions that could create problems for all Ghanaians.
In his monthly message to the Marshallan fraternity for the month of September 2008, Sir Kt. Prah urged members to opt for peace in whatever way possible during the period of political campaign.
He said members had a duty and responsibility to conduct themselves in ways that expressed love for their political opponents.
He entreated members and the society at large, to get involved in issue-based discussions that threw light on which political grouping one ought to associate with.
“Let us attend political rallies if we feel so inclined. Let us even join in the many discussions on radio and in the print media if we contribute to the quality of debate and win members for our preferred party,” he said.
He, however, advised that in doing all those, Ghanaians should also remember that an election was not a do and die affair and neither “was electioneering campaign a preparation for war”.
Sir Kt. Prah reminded Ghanaians of a communiqué issued by the Knights of Marshall in January, this year, which appealed to all political parties in the country to be civil in their campaign messages, avoid infractions of the electoral laws and refrain from the use of language that would likely inflame passions and disturb the peace of the country.
“In the same communiqué, the Noble Order cautioned both the print and electronic media to think Ghana first in their reportage of events leading to the December elections. Similarly, the communiqué urged the Electoral Commission to ensure that it conducts free and fair elections,” he recalled.
According to him, if the interest shown in the recent voters’ registration exercise was anything to go by, then Ghanaians were in for very interesting times in the next few months.
Sir Kt. Prah, therefore, enjoined all Marshallans including those in foreign countries, to pray unceasingly during “these critical moments preceding the national elections in Ghana for the Lord to look with favour on his people, tame the hearts of trouble makers and protect us from all dangers”.