President John Dramani Mahama has
condemned the association of extreme
religious acts such as terrorism to
Islam, adding that the Islam stands
for peace and nothing else.
According to the president persons
who link terrorism to Islam, do not
know understand the tenets and
foundation of the religion.
He further noted that recent acts of
terror in the holy city of Saudi
Arabia cannot be attributed to true
Muslims who understand the
teachings of the holy prophet
Mohammed.
Speaking at the end of the 2016
Ramadan prayers which was held at
the Independence Square in Accra
on Wednesday July 6, the president
said “we live in a world that is
changing and some people under
the guise of religion and religious
extremism misinterpret the religious
doctrines and use it to create harm
for ideological reasons…
“Terrorism has entered our sub
region and these people who
propagate the terrorism ideology
come under the guise of religion and
erroneously try to create an equation
between terrorism and Islam, it is
not true, there is no link between
terrorism and Islam” he added.
He further urged Muslim youth to be
focused on helping each other and
their communities rather than
engaging in acts of riot, vandalism
and public confusion, acts which
have always been associated with
them.
President Mahama also charged
politicians to refrain from using
muslim youth to do their dirty works
for them especially during a
electioneering periods like what is
before the country in the next few
months.
“Let me also urge that our muslim
youth and our youth in the Zongo’s
should not be used as political party
thugs anytime some political
personality or party wants to recruit
people to go and cause trouble, the
first place they go to is Nima or
Bawku. Our youth are not soldiers.
They are young boys and girls who
are engaged in seeking a peaceful
living.”
Ghana heads to the polls later in
2016 and there have been calls from
key political actors, Civil Society
Organisations, religious bodies and
leaders for a more vigilant election
season and a peaceful one.