Rawlings and Akufo-Addo have shown that forgiveness in politics is possible

Late former President Jerry John Rawlings and current President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has demonstrated to all Ghanaians that it is very possible to forgive in politics no matter what the grievance or how long the hurt.

This is according to the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, Yohane Amarh Ashitey, who has called for forgiveness among the followers of the various political parties.

“There were no enemies more bitter than President Rawlings and President Akufo-Addo, but even they, after years of bitterness, could forgive each other and become good friends, how much more those of us who are followers of their political traditions?

“And so if you ask me, I say, if even Rawlings and Akufo-Addo could forgive each other, then you and I can also forgive each other and we should go for it.”

Hon. Amarh Ashitey was speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a funeral in Tema over the weekend.

According to him, funeral occasions like that create opportunities for those still living to remember that nobody will live on the earth forever and that once on the death bed, the only value that a person has is the quality and quantity of their good deeds.

“Life is too short to hold on to grudges and political grudges are even the most unfortunate because politics is a marketplace for ideas on how to build our nation. We package these ideas and sell them to the electorate and the one that the electorate choose becomes a blueprint; why should anybody fight or hate over this?

“The Tema MCE lamented that the state of acrimony in Ghana politics is unacceptable and that every Ghanaian owes it a duty to the country to contribute in engendering forgiveness and national reconciliation.

“As a nation, we are even more duty bound to pursue peace and reconciliation because this state of acrimony, bitterness and unforgiveness in our politics is contrary to our reputation as a godly, religious people. How can we continue to call ourselves Christians and Muslims and traditionalists when we cannot forgive even in matters of politics?” Hon. Yohane Amarh Ashitey asked rhetorically.