Defeated candidates urged to accept results

Kumasi, Dec. 4, GNA - Candidates who will lose in Tuesday's general elections have been urged to accept the election results wholeheartedly and consider it as an act of God.

Alhaji Braimah Yusif, a social commentator in Kumasi, who made this appeal, called on political leaders to take the peaceful atmosphere in the country as a gift of God and something Ghanaians have worked for. He was speaking on the topic: "Peace and Nation Building" at the 27th annual symposium of the Ashanti regional branch of the Ghana Muslim Students Association in Kumasi on Saturday.

It was on the theme: "Peace, A Pre-requisite for Nation Building" and it was attended by over 500 members from the first and second-cycle schools in the region.

Alhaji Yusif said there was the need for all Ghanaians not to take the prevailing peace for granted and attribute it to luck but charged all and sundry to work hard to maintain peace and unity. After voting, he said, people should go to their homes instead of loitering around the polling stations and after victory, all should join in the celebration for it is a victory for peace and democracy. Sheikh Ahmed Mohammed Awal, Director for Islamic Science and Propagation Centre, an NGO in Seattle in the United States, speaking on Science and Islam, said the Quran is the bedrock of modern scientific inventions.

He therefore, urged the students to read more books including the Quran to enrich their vocabulary and their scientific knowledge, saying, "the technology is here with us and we must research to advance our knowledge".

Alhaji Abubakar Haruna, managing director of Zuria FM radio in Kumasi, was happy that the association was fast growing and more of its members were in the tertiary educational institutions.

He asked the students to study very hard to be able to stand the test of time and also serve as role models in their communities to raise the image of the Islamic religion.

Mr Abdul Majeed Musah, Ashanti Regional Vice-President of the association, said the regional branch intends to set up a computer centre in the Muslim community and called on philanthropist to support the association acquire more computers since they have only one computer.

He called on members to be committed to the programmes and activities of the association to make it more vibrant.