News
Religious bodies told to resist temptation of partisan politics
The Head of the Etherean Mission Church, Mr Ishmael Tetteh, has called for collaboration among inter-faith religious bodies to create a harmonious and development-focused political environment.
Additionally, he called for a united front, ahead of the December 7 general election, towards a peaceful and progressive future.
Mr Tetteh made the call at this year’s Planetary Liberation Day (PLD) event held over the weekend at the Etherean Mission Church International in Accra under the theme, ‘Inter – Faith Collaboration for Peaceful Election.’
He explained that the inter-faith collaboration among religious bodies in the country, when pursued as a national agenda would provide a unified vision for Ghana’s development, and foster cooperation among political parties and religious bodies.
Furthermore, Mr Tetteh said such agenda would define the nation’s goals, timelines, and required social and spiritual education.
Mr Tetteh stated that a national ‘Think Tank’ comprising seasoned politicians, scientists, ministers, and civil society representatives would identify and promote Ghana’s unique cultural characteristics, heritage, and values.
He emphasised the need to combat divisive politics, by urging voters to be educated on the dangers of ethnic, tribal, and sentimental affiliations.
“As Ghana strives for peaceful elections and progress, citizens are urged to unite behind these principles, embracing their roles in shaping a brighter future,” he emphasised.
The Maaworeehene of the Amanokrom Traditional Area in the Eastern Region, Nana Agyei Obrempong, added that peace was not just a dream but an urgent necessity, so there was the need to maintain it before, during and after the general election.
“I urge leaders and members from diverse faiths to unite in promoting peace and understanding,’’ he added.
He admonished religious bodies to resist temptations of partisan politics and also urged teachers to develop educational programmes on peace in schools and support community development projects.
By Precious Nyarko Boakye
News
Swallowed by the Sea! …Keta’s coastal lines, landmarks, efforts to preserve heritage
The Atlantic Ocean is no longer a distant blue horizon for the people of Keta.
It now circles around their doorsteps, uninvited, unrelenting, pulling down walls and other structures, erasing memories, and threatening lives.
Hovering precariously between the restless sea and the Keta Lagoon, this once-thriving coastal town is slowly being obliterated.
Salt water has become both a physical and metaphorical threat, dissolving the town’s past as fast as it claims its future.
Madam Aku Atitso, 62, lives in a crumbling former Prisons Service quarters – one of the few structures still standing on the eroded stretch of Queen Street.
She sits quietly at the entrance, preparing a modest breakfast for herself and her granddaughter.
The air is thick with salt and silence. “The sea took everything,” she says softly. “My husband’s nets, our mattress, our memories all gone overnight.” Her voice trembles. “This place too is dying. But it’s the last place with a roof over my head.”
A few metres away, Aunty Esinam, 79, watches the sea from a low stool beside a wooden shelter. Her eyes do not blink. “That spot,” she points, “used to be someone’s living room, a whole family lived there”.
It’s not just homes that are vanishing. Landmarks that anchored Keta’s cultural identity are disappearing one after another. The once-imposing Fort Prinzenstein, a haunting relic of the transatlantic slave trade is now more of a ruin than a monument.
the encroaching waters along Keta’s
coast.
encroaching waters along Keta’s coast
The colonial-era Bremen factory, the old cinema where generations of children once laughed at flickering black-and-white films is also gone.
Queen Street, once the town’s bustling backbone, is now a watery corridor choked with debris.
Standing atop a section of the sea defence wall, 69-year-old retired teacher Efo Kwasi Agbeko surveys what remains.
“The first police station is mostly gone,” he says, gesturing part of the building stuck in the sea sand, only ruins and a few rooms remain.
“This town is fighting, but the sea is winning,” he said.
Even the Cape St. Paul Lighthouse, Keta’s historic sentinel, leans perilously toward the water, and fishermen say holes in the shore are opening more frequently, sometimes every week.
That leaves a thick cloud of uncertainty hanging around the historic town of Keta.
Once upon a time, it was a vibrant town noted for business but currently left with ruins with a few of the residents watching in awe the sea’s devastation.
From: Geoffrey Kwame Buta, Keta, Volta Region
News
Ghanaians climax Easter with fun-filled activities
Christians around the world and other faith based groups last Monday climaxed the Easter celebration with a number of fun-filled outdoor and indoor activities.
With streets empty, fun seekers stormed church premises where picnics were held while others partied in many ways.
Others spent the day at the various beaches and music and film shows occupying the others.
velleyball competition
at the Laboma Beach
Church in Tema Community 8 engaged
in a number of activities including the
popular draught competition
At the churches, participants engaged in bible reading, football, volleyball, playing cards, table tennis, horse racing, bouncing castles, swimming and oware.
one of the picnic venues
Others played ludo, tag of war, lime and spoon, draught, music competitions among others.
The Spectator captured some of the exciting scenes around Accra-Tema for the benefit of readers.
Story & pictures by Victor A. Buxton
