President Nana Akufo-Addo
PRESIDENT
NANA Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says he will ensure peaceful elections at next year’s
presidential and parliamentary polls.
Having
indicated his decision to seek re-election for another term, he said that must
be done in a peaceful environment.
He gave
the assurance during the annual festival of Nine Lessons and Carols held at
Jubilee House—the
seat of government—on Friday evening.
This is
the first time in the country’s history that all the three arms of government—Judiciary,
Legislature and Executive—have each held a festival of
Nine Lessons and Carols.
For the
President, that alone “is a strong testimony of the determination of each arm
to be guided in their work by the Christian values of faith, love, charity and
reconciliation.”
“We
have a responsibility to ensure that we put our best foot forward beginning
with the people in this house … we have to ensure that it is peaceful and
orderly so that our people can make their choice in freedom and peace. I am
very optimistic that that will be the case and that the reputation of our
nation as a beacon of democracy will be further strengthened,” he said.
He stressed
“this commitment is particularly important, especially as we enter a new year
in which the nation is going to conduct a general election so that our people
can choose the person or persons they want to manage the affairs of the nation
on their behalf.”
The service
was officiated by Rev. Father Andrew Campbell of the Christ the King Church and
Canon Samuel Lamptey of the Accra Ridge Church, while the Harmonious Chorale,
Winneba Youth Choir and the Ridge Church Youth Choir provided good renditions
of music.
Guest
soloists were T. K. Thomas of the Accra Ridge Church, Genevieve Ofori and Alice
Twum from the Empowerment Worship Centre, and produced and directed by James
Ato Scott Bennin.
Some
selected persons including students, heads of state institutions, officials of
civil society organizations and representatives of organized labour did the
reading of the Nine Lessons, with President Akufo-Addo taking the ninth and
final lesson from the book of John 1:1-14.
Present at the ceremony was Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Chief of Staff Frema Osei-Opare and other guests.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent
