Research Fellow urges Muslims to be ambassadors of peace

Mr. Issah Boateng, a Research Fellow of Ghana Muslim Academy (GMA), has called on Muslims to see their involvement in social issues as an obligation and not a matter of choice.

He urged Imams not to give unlimited freedom to political leaders for them to take undue advantage of it and advised Muslim politicians to be mindful of the manner they sought for political power, execute their responsibilities and promote Islam.

Mr. Boateng was speaking on the topic: “Ensuring Peaceful Election 2012 - The Responsibility of all Muslims” at the annual M. A. Mujahid Ramadan Lectures, organised by GMA in Accra on Monday.

The lectures brought together academicians, corporate executives, Muslim scholars and the clergy to sensitize the Ghanaian Muslim youth on important national issues.

It was on the theme: “The Spirit of Ramadan in Promoting Peace and Stability in Ghana”.

Mr. Boateng appealed to Muslim youth to uphold the values of Islam and not to be used as instruments of violence to destabilize the prevailing peace in the country.

He also advised Ghanaians to take a cue from incidents in neighbouring African countries and stressed the need to conduct a violent free and transparent election in December.

He said stakeholders must campaign against electoral violence, saying, “Ensuring a peaceful election in a state is obviously a huge responsibility which cannot be put on the door steps of a single institution”.

Mr. Boateng cautioned the media to guard against the use of intemperate language since it had the tendency to incite people to resort to violence and called on all and sundry to be patient and tolerate each other’s opinion.

He commended the Electoral Commission and the security agencies for their professionalism during Election 2008 and called on the public to cooperate with all stakeholders to ensure another successful poll.

Police Chief Superintendent Baba Saani Adam, Director of Research, Ghana Police Service, said GMA had a big role to play in educating Muslims and people in Zongo communities to be peace loving.

“Every Muslim should remain a crusader in his or her family and also a peace ambassador.

“If Ghanaians do not dedicate themselves and sacrifice their time, peace cannot be achieved,” he added.

He reiterated the need for individuals, stakeholders and civil society groups to complement the efforts of state institutions in enforcing law and order in the country.

Sheikh Isshaq Nuah, an Islamic Scholar, said it was high time Muslims started educating their children on issues of drug abuse and its repercussions.

He pledged to participate in any programme aimed at educating Muslims and Ghanaians in general.

The Ramadan lectures started in 2002 and named after the late Mohammed Ali Mujahid, the first President of the Academy in 2005.

The GMA was established in 1992 and officially inaugurated by the then Deputy Minister of Environment, the late Dr Farouk Braimah.**