Abstain from Election Prophecies – Akufo-Addo cautions Clergy

As Ghana is in serious preparation for the general elections this December 7, 2024, President Nana Akufo-Addo has made a passionate appeal to the clergy to advise their followers against prophecies that tend to predict the outcomes of elections. This appeal was delivered by the Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, at the "Agent of Peace" Campaign organized by the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council.

The message was clear from the Preisdent: religious leaders must urge decorum and avoid statements or prophecies that may raise tensions or divide people. He drew attention to the fact that premature declarations of winners in elections can put society on high tension and might mislead the voters against the very core of democracy.

The President also reminded the citizens and political parties that Ghana is always  hailed as a model of democratic progress in Africa, with its history of peaceful transitions from one democratically elected government to another. The President emphasized that democracy is more than elections, but integrity of the elections themselves forms the base for peaceful transfer of power and continued legitimacy of the Ghanaian Democratic System.

We in Ghana have grown and must learn the lessons of having peaceful elections. "We must avoid using provocative and abusive language in our campaigning. Let us respect the electorate and not assume that one political party has already won the election when a single ballot is yet to be cast," Akufo-Addo said.

The call to action extends beyond political circles to the religious community, with the president charging clergy members to check those among them who make politically charged prophecies.