Church must educate members to vote on issues and competence in 2016-Christian Council of Ghana

The Christian Council of Ghana is urging church leaders to use their pulpits to educate their congregations to vote on issues and competence in the upcoming national elections.

General Secretary, Reverend Dr. Kwabena Opuni Frimpong, says there is too much inducement in the country’s current electoral process.

Speaking at the 2016 National Ministers Conference of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana Tuesday, he called for increased involvement of church in voter education.

“This year, therefore imposes a major responsibility on us as church leaders to actively participate in this process. As church leaders, we must use our various platforms to educate our members to vote on issues and competence and avoid actions that can lead to electoral violence”. Reverend Dr. Opuni Frimpong told the conference.

According to the General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, 2016 is a major decision moment for Ghana as Ghanaians elect president and parliamentarians to govern the nation for the next four years.

He is wary of what he calls inducements to influence voting during the 2016 elections.

“We say this because there is too much inducement in our electoral processes and church leaders, let us get involved and help our people to vote on issues not because we are afraid by anybody or not because we have been coloured by anything”.

The Council, as part of efforts to help Ghanaians vote based on their conscience would be embarking on a nationwide voter education to sensitize electorates.

Later in an interview with Nhyira FM, Dr. Opuni Frimpong said the Ghanaian voter should see this year’s elections as an opportunity to make meaningful contribution to national affairs with ballots.

He wants Ghanaians to live above politicians who will use material attraction to win their votes.

“The voters in Ghana now must be discerning. What it means is; we must talk about issues of quality education, health delivery, sanitation, our environment, water bodies, good governance; issues about the economy, employment for our young people-so that the fear and intimidation that come out of people who are inducing with gifts, mobile phones, food, fertilizer, rice. If we vote at some of these things, we come back to square one”. Reve. Dr. Opuni warned.