Politicians And Ethnicity Must Not Divide Us

The Reverend Aye Atiemo, Takoradi District Minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, on Sunday called on Ghanaians not to allow politics and ethnicity to divide the nation during the electioneering campaign this year. In an Easter message, he said the people particularly politicians should be mindful of their utterances and behaviour to safeguard the peace and development the country is enjoying. Reverend Atiemo said the people must reconcile themselves bearing in mind that Jesus died on the cross to bring about reconciliation between God and Man. “We should try to foster and maintain peace among ourselves because peace brings development”, he said. Reverend Atiemo said utterances and behaviour that would bring division and disturbances were the work of the devil. He said sin alienated man from God since it was a denial of the nature of God. Reverend Atiemo said, “the ultimate of reconciliation is peace with God and peace within ourselves.” The Reverend John Harvey-Ewusi, Bishop of the Sekondi Diocese of the Methodist Church said the hopelessness of Mary Magdalene was transformed into joy on realising that Christ had risen. Preaching on the theme: “Newness of life in Christ Jesus”, he said all must be able to live at peace with each other, irrespective of the circumstances. “Such newness reveals our sins, the atoning grace and reforms us and prepares us for heaven” he stressed. Rev. Harvey-Ewusi said the death and resurrection of Christ has and will continue to be the central focus of the Christina religion and all must work hard to promote it. Most Rev. John Martin Darko, catholic Bishop of the Sekondi-Takoradi Diocese, preaching on the theme; “the cross and the empty grave” said many people run away from suffering yet they want to achieve greatness and prosperity. He said the early disciplines left everything to follow Jesus and in spite of the continual intimidation and harassment, they did not give up. Bishop Darko said it was sad that many attempts to achieve success through short-cuts had led to more disastrous consequences and urged all Christians to live and be ready to endure suffering. He said many Christians have been unjust towards each other and everyone is becoming corrupt and use the title of ‘Christian’ as a convenient label. Bishop Darko stressed that greed, selfishness and other personality traits have been responsible for the increasing injustice among many and charged all to live a modest and God fearing life. He urged politicians to have interests in the development of the nation and should not focus on their personal glory and gains. The government and opposition must watch their utterances while all public officials and ministers of the gospel must be reminded that they are all accountable, he stressed. “We are all caretakers of God’s property and we should let love overshadow everything we do at work, in the home and in our respective communities,” he added. Bishop Darko therefore suggested that all Ghanaians must live in love, trust and avoid lies, indiscipline and other negative activities.