Avoid tribal voting - Archbishop Palmer-Buckle

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Most Reverend Charles Gabriel Palmer Buckle has called on Ghanaians to desist from voting on tribal lines.

He admonished Ghanaians to rather cast their ballot based on their conscience.

“Voting is a civic duty, and we must exercise it in a peaceful manner.”

The Archbishop of Accra made this remark when he paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) last Friday at the Burma Camp in Accra.

The two main political parties, the National Democratic Congress and the opposition New Patriotic Party, have been accused of engaging tribal politics.

President John Mahama, a few days ago, told supporters in the Upper East Region that their best bet for president is a candidate from the north and he represents their interest better than the NPP who cannot and will not give a Northerner any opportunity to lead their party, let alone to become a president.

President Mahama stated that the NDC is a party that gives opportunities to all and that he, from Bole, a small town in the Northern Region, has been given the opportunity to lead the NDC and the country, something that can never happen in the NPP.

He chided the NPP, accusing the leadership of hounding the suspended chairman Paul Afoko because of his Northern descent.

The man of God stressed the need for Ghanaian voters to vote according to their conscience to properly develop the country.

Touching on the numerous prophesies by some men of God concerning the elections, Most Reverend Palmer Buckle, said prophesy is only true when it comes to past and that the only prophet Ghanaians must listen to is Jesus Christ.

“What we as men of God can do is to constantly pray for the country, and we Catholics constantly advise our members to always pray for politicians in this country.”

He noted that some Ghanaians always criticize GCBC for not wading into politics, adding that they sometimes call the politicians behind closed doors to reprimand them for their misconduct.

“We do this because when you reprimand one person or group in public, the other takes it as an added advantage to misbehave, so there is the need to do that individually and we shall continue to pray, educate, prevent and reprimand politicians behind closed doors.”

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshall Samson Oje, on his part, urged Most Reverend Charles Gabriel Palmer Buckle and the other men of God to continue to pray for the country since some politicians have increased the political milieu in the country.

He said the military would not tolerate any violent acts that would disturb the peace of the country.

“We would advise voters to go home immediately after casting their ballot and wait until the final results are out.”

He averred that the military would work hand in hand with the police to ensure peace, stressing that they also have a backup plan to boost security.