Editorial
Respect Ga Traditional Council’s ban on noise-making in Accra
The Ga Traditional Council (GTC) has announced a month-long ban on drumming and noise-making in Accra as part of preparations for the celebration of this year’s Ga Homowo Festival.
According to the GTC, the ban begins today and ends on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
The ban is an annual traditional rite that precedes the celebration of the Homowo Festival, referred to as “Odadaa” by the chiefs and people of Ga Mashie, and which requires silence and tranquility for more than a month after the ritual planting of the crops.
Some communities the ban affects are Ga Mashie, Korle Gonno, Dansoman, Sakaman, Malam, Gbawe, Bortianor, Ngleshie-Amanfro, Kokrobite, Oshiyie, Obaakrowa, Kofi Kwei, Ahida, Papase, Pokuase, Amasaman, Sapeiman, Achimota, among others.
Within the period of the ban, no one or no group of people should engage in any form of noise-making, including the use of loud speakers for music or preaching in the various communities.
This is in line with the beliefs of the traditional Ga people. It is, therefore, important for each and every person to respect the ban.
Adhering to the ban is good because it will show that we are tolerant of one another in spite of our religious differences.
No individual or group of people should attempt to enforce the ban in their own way; otherwise, those who are opposed to the ban may also want to defend themselves against its enforcement. This will result in chaos or disturbances that may lead to injuries or even deaths.
In the past, this has been the situation, and it has not helped any person or group of people in the country. For this reason, we need to maintain peace to ensure that Ghana as a whole becomes the winner.
In this regard, traditional believers should not take the law into their hands and brutalise any perceived offenders as the result will be disastrous.
They must work closely with the police, who are enforcers of the law. Peace must prevail, and this is what we want to see. Peace is paramount to the socioeconomic development of this country.
We, therefore, cannot compromise peace. Let us respect one another when it comes to religious beliefs, for peace to prevail in the country
Editorial
Let’s vote peacefully today
Dear Editor,
Today is December 7 and Ghanaians would be required to participate heavily in the presidential and parliamentary elections.
The aim is to give a new term to whichever party triumphs in the exercise.
Parties and their representatives have been busy in the buildup to today’s exercise with the two main political parties, ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) very confident of undoing each other.
Other political parties would also be involved in the exercise.
What I am calling for ahead of the exercise is peace. It is the responsibility of every Ghana to accept the fact that we have only one Ghana and maintaining the peace and tranquility we have enjoyed remains in our own hands.
The period to determine which group of people governs the nation is the same period for us to ensure that the peace we enjoy remains intact.
The campaigns have been very intensive with a few unfortunate comments coming from over enthusiastic politicians.
There also appears to be a mistrust in the system as every decision or move by the Electoral Commission have been fiercely questioned or rejected.
The Commission that is also supposed to be the ‘referee’ has not helped in the tension diffusion with the errors with election papers from particular regions.
All these notwithstanding, I wish to urge Ghanaians to have confidence in the institutions and vote in our numbers in a peaceful manner. No one should attempt to disrupt the process. If we go about it lawfully, we’ll have another peaceful and successful election. Yes, we can!
Mark Osae,
Accra
Editorial
Let’s make peace priority as we vote on December 7
The long-awaited presidential and parliamentary elections are finally here, and the most crucial thing we require is peace during and after the elections.
It is a must for Ghanaians to uphold peace, a state of tranquility devoid of conflict or disruption in this election.
In order to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections, a number of institutions and organisations, including the Peace Council, the media, non-governmental organisations, and religious groups, have sent out messages of peace in the run-up to the polls.
The Spectator continues to spread the message of peace as we urge the electorate to make peace a priority in the electoral process to elect a President and Members of Parliament (MPs).
Every voter should be able to exercise their right to vote without any form of compulsion, as Ghanaians are members of multiple political parties and are free to select the candidate of their choice.
After all, voting is about exercising your right to vote, which should be done quietly and peacefully, not about insulting and fighting. We should therefore be mindful of the fact that Ghana belongs to all of us.
Remember your vote is secret and to prevent any confrontation after exercising your franchise go home and pray. Do not post anything on social media that will cause people to react negatively.
Ghana has long been a peaceful nation and a symbol of democracy in Africa; we must preserve this stability and peace.
We must be careful with what we say to avoid provoking anger that could turn violent.
The Spectator urges the security agencies to be tolerant and professional as they discharge their duties. In the same vein, officials of the Electoral Commission should do effective monitoring of the electoral process and swiftly provide the necessary logistics required to enable voting.
We urge all political parties and their supporters to adhere to the nation’s laws and regulations. The media should be circumspect in their reportage and provide accurate and balanced reporting.
Our prayer is that Ghana will emerge victorious at the end of the elections. To achieve this let us endeavour to uphold peace.
God bless our homeland Ghana and make our nation great and strong.
