LET NO ONE MISLEAD YOU * Into conflict after elections, Palmer-Buckle

Front Page: Daily Graphic, December 1, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, the Most Rev Charles Palmer-Buckle, has called on Ghanaians to resolve not to allow anyone to mislead them into conflict after Sunday’s general election.
In a sermon after blessing the St George Catholic Police Church in Accra yesterday, Rev Palmer-Buckle said it was wrong for anyone to compare what happened in Kenya and Zimbabwe to what would happen in Ghana after Sunday’s elections.
“We shall not take guns and we should not allow anyone to lead us into conflict after the polls,” he admonished.
He reminded Ghanaians that in neighbouring Nigeria, although the national elections were disputed, Nigerians did not take to arms or conflict but resorted to the law courts and wondered why people would not want to take to the Nigerian example.
Reaffirming the belief of Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference that the elections would be peaceful and better than previous ones, the Archbishop said Ghanaians were peaceful and would choose the path of peace after the elections.
He noted that if the problems associated with the past four elections did not push Ghana into conflict or war, this year’s elections would not do so either.
The Most Rev Palmer-Buckle said a number of organisations, including civil, political and religious leaders, have been working, calling and praying for peace after the polls and announced that the Catholic Church in Ghana had devoted a nine-day prayer session to the elections beginning from December 1 - 9, 2008.
He said the Bishops Conference was also heartened by the many prayers, prayer-vigils and sessions for peace in Ghana, the demonstrations for peace embarked upon by schoolchildren and women, and by the “peace train” that had been travelling through the country.
The Most Rev Palmer-Buckle, who is the Vice-President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, reminded Ghanaians of the need to express their choice by voting, since refusing to vote was a denial of potential support for social justice and progress.
He said the Catholic Church had therefore decided to hold its church services on Saturday, December 6, 2008, to enable its members to vote on Sunday.
He also noted that voting carelessly or corruptly, whether for a fee or other selfish consideration, could support injustice and retrogression.
He urged media practitioners, both state and private, to aim at being fair, honest, objective and circumspect in their coverage and reportage.
“They should not assume that only their view represents the whole truth. Indeed, we advise all Ghanaians not to allow themselves to be misled by just any publication, but to seek to know the truth and proclaim nothing but the truth,” he said.
The Most Rev Palmer-Buckle reminded politicians that it was in the interest of peace that they should adopt an attitude of forgiveness for the wrongs done them.
The Parish Priest of the church, Rev Fr Superintendent George Arthur, described the Archbishop’s admonition as timely in view of the closeness of the elections.
He commended the former Inspector-General of Police, Mr Peter Nanfuri, under whose aegis the church was started, and all those who had contributed to bringing the building to its present status.