According to him, this phenomenon has, in a way, contributed to electoral violence.

The Executive Director of Alliance for Christian Advocacy Africa made these remarks on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem while advocating for peace ahead of the December 7 election.

He encouraged politicians to commit to peace before, during, and after the election, bearing in mind that they cannot rule a nation in turmoil.

“All politicians know they cannot function if there is no peace in the country. Look at the situation in Bawku and parliament; the politicians know the repercussions.

“However, because of the money they invest in their quest for power, they always want to protect their funds. So, they can incite people to snatch ballot boxes, destroy posters, and engage in any other actions that can give them victory, and that is our difficulty. People are spending a lot of money, and the election becomes a do-or-die affair,” he lamented.

He pointed out that Ghana’s elections have consistently been marred by violence, with the eight deaths and numerous injuries in 2020 casting the nation in a bad light.

In this regard, he noted it was about time politicians put in place measures to deal decisively with such incidents.

According to him, some of their statements appear to justify the harmful practice.

He criticised the contradictory comments from some government officials, warning that they could be perceived as disregarding the public’s concerns.

“Some of our Ministers of State must be a bit mindful of their statements. Some of their statements are hurting and are very contradictory. If I hear a minister saying if not for mining, the dollar would have been GH¢25 … the more some of them talk like this in public, it suggests that they are taking us for granted. In fact, some are even saying as for mining we won’t stop,” he said.

His comments followed a statement by Sulemanu Koney, CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, who argued that the mining sector plays a crucial role in stabilising the local currency, suggesting that without it, the cedi could have depreciated further, possibly to ¢25 to $1.

This view aligns with other political figures, including NPP MP Dr Ayew Afriyie, who recently stated that the government has no plans to ban galamsey, despite the mounting pressure from environmental groups and the public.

In light of this, Rev. Opuni-Frimpong urged the public not to ease up on their protest.

He stressed the importance of maintaining pressure on the government to address the issue, stating that the harmful effects of galamsey on the environment must not be overlooked.

He also called on the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) to continue its advocacy efforts, emphasizing the need for collective action to make the government take the concerns seriously.

“We must not give an inch; we must all go out to let the government know that we are serious. They are hurting us,” he declared.

Source: Emma Ankrah

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The former General Secretary of the Christian Council said the hands of the citizenry are bloody, considering the violence that mars every election.

Rev Opuni-Frimpong raised these concerns in an interview on Accra-based Citi FM as he called for expedited investigations and prosecution into the 2020 election violence that claimed eight lives.

“Sometimes you ask yourself, why are our leaders not worried about these electoral violence and electoral deaths? Our hands are so bloody and we must be worried as a country. It is not only in the 2020 general elections, almost all the elections, there is a record of death,” he bemoaned.

According to him, the citizens should have been updated on the progress of investigations and actions been taken against the perpetrators.

“But again, the recent one is the eight that we recorded in 2020. For me, going into the 2024 election, if the government and the Ghana Police Service can give Ghanaians evidence that at least even if we have not come to completion of investigations, the process is ongoing and we know those people we are prosecuting, they will add to the peace process.

“We must find those people who killed the eight people and prosecute them, and if need be, even find compensation for those they have left behind,” he stated.

He further asserted that, there must also be a political will to tackle the issue head on, guarding against indecent language that incite violence.

“The parties themselves, they have mature men and women in those parties who must, you know, behind the scenes, close door meetings, heal the wounds among themselves, and who must talk to their own people.

“We must have people in NPP who will just talk to people that this is not the NPP we want. We need people in NDC who are behind the scenes, even if they must come public and condemn their own,” he urged.

Rev Opuni-Frimpong continued, “It is very worrying that when their people come out, you can’t get a single person in the NPP going public that, yes, you are part of us, but this comment is unacceptable. You don’t get somebody from NDC either.”

Source: Adomonline.com

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Asiedu Nketia had earlier declared the NDC would not sign any peace agreement, expressing scepticism about its effectiveness.

But Rev Opuni-Frimpong, who is the Executive Director, of Alliance for Christian Advocacy Africa, has appealed to Mr Nketia to commit to the declaration, emphasising it is part of democratic process.

“We plead with the chairman of the NDC, our big father Asiedu Nketia that we need democrats to practice democracy. We as a country we are saying as part of our democratic culture we commit to acceptance of election results, and we commit to using legal and acceptable processes in making correction.

“We will not mobilise people to the streets that is the essence of the peace pact, and we must all commit to it,” he stated in an interview on Accra-based Citi FM.

This appeal comes in the wake of intensified calls for the NDC to reconsider its stance and assurance by the National Peace Council to address their concerns.

Amidst the calls, General Mosquito as he is popularly known has set out six conditions under which the NDC will sign the peace pact.

At a meeting with the Peace Council on Tuesday, he requested that the President, the Inspector-General of Police, the Chief Justice, the National Security Coordinator, and the Attorney General must all sign the pact.

Additionally, he demanded that the recommendations from the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election violence investigation are fully implemented.

Mr. Asiedu Nketia also called for the prosecution of those responsible for violence during the 2020 elections and other associated irregularities.

Source: Adomonline.com

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Speaking on Accra-based Citi FM on Saturday, he said the matter was of “national concern and must attract a national response from the President.”

Parliament on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, passed the Promotion of Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill (anti-LGBTQ bill) after the third reading.

The bill, when signed by the President, will among other things, prohibit lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) and related activities.

It also places a jail term of up to five years on convicts.

Rev Opuni said just as the country’s forebears fought for independence, the Parliament of Ghana deemed it appropriate to protect family values with the passage of the bill, which coincided with the commemoration of the February 28, Crossroad shooting.

He said the bill had gone through various stages of consultations, discussions and debates, therefore, the President should not “break the cycle”.

“All that we are asking the President is that he must assent to the bill as early as possible so that we celebrate 28th February both in Parliament and from the office of the President also,” Rev Opuni.

He said Ghana must not condone LGBTQ+ practices although it had been accepted in other nations.

The former secretary noted that the church was not “a gathering of saints” however; the quest to take a stand on LGBTQ+ emerged when other nations sought to “impose” the practice, contrary to accepted social norms in Ghana.

“We are not running away from the fact that all manner of sexual practices prevail in our country and in our churches, but if you ask us to make it part of our cultural norms, that is what we are talking about,” he said.

Rev Opuni said President Akufo-Addo must not delay approval of the bill as there may be other partisan interpretations to the postponement.

“At the moment, we have those who want to go to court; that is part of our democratic right, but that should not stop us from working towards what we know would be helpful for us today and generations unborn,” he emphasised.

Some opponents of the bill argued that it was against human rights, saying individuals should not serve prison terms for their sexuality.

Rev Opuni, responding to the sanctions the bill sought to impose, said specific clauses of the bill and other punishment modalities should be addressed by lawyers.

“…We are saying that this is a national concern and the President must give it a national response as early as possible…We still plead with those who have ears of the President that he must move fast and sign so the process can continue; those who want to go to court can still go,” he stressed.

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According to Rev. Dr. Kwabena Opuni Frimpong, corruption is not limited to government officials but is a problem that affects all sectors of society.

He stated that a significant amount of money has not been accounted for, and some of these funds are in the form of loans that will need to be repaid by future generations.

“We shouldn’t be a nation that creates problems today that our children should come and solve tomorrow,” he said on Tuesday, January 9, 2024.

Speaking on the JoyNews‘ AM Show, Rev. Dr. Opuni Frimpong pointed out that government officials and other authorities protect each other, rather than holding each other accountable which is a challenge in the fight against corruption.

According to him, the fight against corruption must begin at the grassroots level which will eradicate corruption in Ghana.

“We need leaders who will say I appointed you, but you have disgraced us, you have disgraced the nation. You don’t qualify to be here. The next morning pack and leave. I don’t think I have that impression as a Ghanaian. Maybe, I’m not seeing right because of the lens I am wearing but Ghana as a nation, as I see it, we are not serious with the corruption fight.”

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According to him, President Akufo-Addo made Ghanaians aware the cathedral would be constructed through the coordinated efforts of the church.

However, the man of God said there has been too many controversies due to the interference of the government in the project.

Rev Opuni said this in an interview with Adom News following the resignation of Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams and Eastwood Anaba who were members of the Board of Trustees.

In a joint statement, they raised concerns that they are yet to hear anything about their call for an audit into the activities of the National Cathedral Project, which they say is contrary to their conscience and belief.

But Rev Opuni-Frimpong has said the development is just a phase which will pass.

“We are having a challenge but I will still want the churches to accept responsibility. In the Bible people said that they will not give God anything that caused them nothing, that’s the principle I am talking about.

“Christians in Ghana should not be proud of a National Cathedral that caused them nothing; thus one which the government built for them,” he admonished.

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