The Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Yohane Amarh Ashitey, is preaching love and forgiveness after he attended the funeral of a fallen colleague of his party, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Tema.

On the sidelines of the funeral of a polling station chairman, Emmanuel Kobina Acquah, the Tema Mayor reminded that before anybody is NPP or NDC, they are first human beings made in the image and likeness of God.

“Occasions like this make you sobber and brings you back into the realization that in our core, we are all human beings; we are all children of God. At the end of the day, it does not matter whether you are NDC or NPP, we are all God’s beloved children,” Yohane Amarh Ashitey said.

The funeral was as usual somber and sobering.

Mr. Emmanuel Kobina Acquah had died in an accident leaving behind a widow and three children.

In addition to the MCE, there were other dignitaries in attendance, including former Deputy Minister of Transport and current Managing Director of the Volta Aluminum Company Limited (VALCO), Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus Glover.

According to the MCE, the reality of death should always guide all people, especially politicians, into humility, forgiveness and love for one another.

“Today, our brother is gone because it is his time, tomorrow will be our turn too. If we hate one another, what benefit do we get seeing that we cannot even take anything away when we die?” the MCE asked rhetorically.

He called on his colleagues on both sides of the political divide to resort to, “adapt to a politics of love and fellow-service,” saying that he believes that the God who blessed politicians with the gift of leadership did not intend them to be enemies.

The NDC and the NPP have been bitter rivals since the beginning of Ghana’s fourth republic with this rivalry often escalating into fights and inter party conflict that in some cases have resulted in deaths.

As Ghana is in the lead up to another election in 2024, concerns are already in the air as to whether the election will be peaceful or lead to the deaths of Ghanaians as happened in 2020.

Concluding his interview on the sidelines of the funeral, Hon. Yohane Amarh Ashitey warned that, “to whom much is given, much is required. Now that we are in leadership on earth, we should understand that a time is coming when our maker will ask us to account for our lives and those of us who pursued war will be repaid accordingly.”

Those in attendance include Nene Ofoe-Teyechu Agbadiagba IV, a chief mourner and Tema East NPP Chairman, Mr. Stephen Aboagye, 2nd vice chairman of Tema East NPP, Ernest Panful, hardworking head of GPHA intelligence unit, Religious leaders, Traditional rulers, Assembly Members and staff of GPHA.

Yohane Amarh Ashitey, who was mobbed by the many polling station executives in attendance, wept uncontrollably