Election 202: You must not be left out; voting is ‘Godly work’ — COKA ‘begs’ SDA church to vote

Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has urged the leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church to encourage their members to participate in the upcoming 2024 elections, despite concerns about the voting date falling on a Saturday, their holy day of worship.

Earlier this year, the SDA Church submitted petitions to the Electoral Commission, calling for reforms to move the election date from December 7, which often falls on a Saturday, to either the 1st or 2nd of November.

The church believes the proposed changes are feasible, as these alternatives were previously considered by the Constitutional Review Commission in 2011 and the Electoral Reform Committee in 2015.

However, in a recent Facebook post, COKA addressed the SDA’s concerns, acknowledging the essence of the Sabbath to the church but also emphasised the importance of civic responsibility.

He wrote, “……I have also read the recent statement from the Seventh Day Adventist ( SDA) Church on December 7, which falls on Saturday, the Sabbath day. l think something should be done now to cajole them to have a change of mind to partake in the December 7, elections which fall on Saturday.

“The SDA has a church strength of over 800,000 members with a youth wing population of 70% of this figure. No one should be disenfranchised because of his or her faith. Yes, the Sabbath Day holds deep spiritual significance for Adventists, but they know that it was made to meet the needs of people and not the other way round.”

He called on the church to encourage its members to vote on December 7, stating, "Voting in elections is a civic responsibility and a Godly work."

COKA assured the SDA that discussions are ongoing with stakeholders, including political parties, to ensure reforms that accommodate all religious groups in future elections, with changes expected by 2028.

He also suggested that, while the date remains unchanged, the Electoral Commission and the SDA could explore special voting options for members to ensure their participation.