Listen to the Chief Imam

If for nothing at all, the Chief Imam cited the stealing of ballot boxes, the beating up of polling agents and encouraging minors to vote as some of the actions which necessitated the arrest of Muslim youth during the 2008 elections.

The Daily Graphic hopes that our Muslim brothers will heed the Chief Imam’s admonition and not indulge in anything that will tarnish the image of the Muslim community. Already, there is the perception that Muslim youth are often used by some people to cause mayhem.

When it comes to land disputes, chieftaincy matters and the disruption of events, Muslim youth are mentioned as the principal perpetrators. In certain communities, some of these Muslim youth are a law onto themselves, as security personnel often look on helplessly.

We, therefore, appeal to the Zongo communities, particularly the heads of Muslim organisations and institutions, to make sure that their communities are not used by politicians as instruments to breed unnecessary tension and confusion in the build up to the December polls.

As the Chief Imam said: “We want the general populace of the Muslim communities in Ghana, especially the youth in the Zongo communities, to accept the outcome of the elections, whether its favours their political parties or not. Ghana is not for one section of people, nor is it for a particular religion but for all of us. The Zongo communities must eliminate the wrong perception that most Ghanaians hold that they are the perpetrators of  all evil during elections.”

The Daily Graphic disagrees with those who will hide behind unemployment and economic hardships to allow monetary influence to instigate them to cause chaos before, during and after elections.

In any case, what happens to those youth after helping politicians to achieve their selfish ends? The politicians may go back to the youth only when they need the youth for another sadistic operation.

We have stated before that if all the stakeholders, particularly the political parties and their agents or assigns, play by the rules, we will have nothing to worry about. After all, when the votes are counted, it is not the snatching of ballot boxes or the beating up of electoral officers that will change the verdict of the people.

Ghana is for peace and everyone must join the peace train to ensure that the 2012 general election comes off successfully, so that the nation does not only remain united but also lifts its democratic credentials to another level.