The Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference(GCBC) has called on the electorate and stakeholders in the electoral process to ensure peace during and after the December 7 election.

It further urged duty bearers to ensure the strict enforcement of the law and strengthen state institutions to signal their credibility to the citizenry.

The GCBC made the call in a 14-point Communique issued at the end of its nine-day Annual Plenary

Assembly at Pope John Paul II Formation and Training Centre at Ofoase Kokoben, in the Obuasi Catholic Diocese in the Ashanti Region.

The meeting, under the theme: “Jubilee Year:A Time to Proclaim Christ, Hope for the Church and Ghana”, is rooted in 1 Timothy 1:1. The event was held from November 8 to 16, 2024. The theme was inspired by the Head of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of the Vatican City State, Pope Francis, under his theme for the Jubilee year 2025: “Pilgrims of Hope”.

The Communique which was signed by the GCBC President who is also the Catholic Bishop of Sunyani in the Bono Region, Most Reverend Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, stated that consistent appeals were made “in the lead-up to general elections, calling on political parties, candidates, and citizens to exercise restraint, avoid hate speech, and respect the rule of law.”

Peace initiatives

“We have consistently made appeals for peaceful elections in the country through our Communiques, Pastoral Letters and Press Statements, emphasizing the need for non-violence, respect for democratic processes, and the promotion of unity and national cohesion” it further explained.

The Communique outlined some peace initiatives carried out by the GCBC in the past including the current Plenary Assembly of the religious body to promote peace in December 7.

The peace initiatives it observed include the Sahel Peace Initiative National Forum and the Ghana Speaks Series which brought together a cross section of the leadership of the various political parties.

“From all these leaders, we received assurances of their commitment to a peaceful election. We therefore, urge duty bearers to ensure the strict enforcement of the law and strengthen state institutions to signal their credibility to the citizenry” the Communique emphasised.

“We wish to reiterate our firm resolve to do whatever is within our power to foster and maintain the peace and stability of Mother Ghana, in the unswerving-conviction that it is both our civic and Godly mandated duty for the integral development of our people" it stated.

Strained relations

The Communique expressed great concern about strained relations among the arms of government- Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, and called for “institutional forbearance.”

Galamsey

On illegal mining also known as Galamsey, the Communique stressed the need for government, politicians, regulatory bodies, Chiefs and Queen mothers, local communities, Catholic clergy, other religious leaders both Christians and Muslims to “take up our divinely given leadership of our people with seriousness, sincerity, courage and live above reproach in these matters.”

The Communique touched on other national important issues that need urgent attention. They are

ongoing conflict in Bawku and the need for a Presidential Assent to the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill passed into law by Parliament earlier this year.