Day: April 11, 2024

The Vice President, Dr Mohammudu Bawumia, says he does not support or condone same sex marriage in any form. He said his faith and religion abhors the practice of same sex and he would not in any way, support the practice of homosexuality in Ghana. Addressing hundreds of Muslims during the Eid prayers at the Kumasi Central Mosque, he said his belief was consistent with the stance of his religion, Islam, other religions such as Christianity, as well as the social and cultural norms of Ghana. 'I would like to take this opportunity to personally comment on the raging issue of LGBTQ+ in Ghana. 'First of all, it is important to note that our cultural and social norms and values as Ghanaians frown on the practice of homosexuality. 'Furthermore, as a muslim, my view on this matter aligns with the position of my religious faith,' he stated. Dr Bawumia, who is also the Flag-bearer of the ruling NPP, said the Holy Quran was replete with verses frowning on LGBTQ+ acts, including same sex marriages. 'My faith is t herefore very strictly against the practice of homosexuality, no 'ifs' or 'buts,' no shades of grey,' he pointed out. 'I personally, therefore, cannot support that which my religion and indeed all the major religions in Ghana clearly and unequivocally forbid. 'All the major religious traditions in Ghana are opposed to this practice and I stand opposed to now, and I will stand opposed to it as President, Insha Allah,' he emphasized. Ghana's parliament has passed the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill and it is now waiting for presidential accent. President Akufo-Addo had already indicated his inability to accent to the Bill for it to become law, since the constitutionality of the Bill is being challenged in the Supreme Court by some human rights groups and activists. Source: Ghana News Agency

Alhaji Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih, the Ameer and Missionary-in-Charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, has called on all to pray for peace ahead of this year's elections, devoid of violence and disturbances. 'Let's consider and tolerate people who belong to other political parties and avoid tendencies that will cause disunity in our country. 'We are looking for the good of the country, not individuals,' he said. The Ameer made the call on Thursday in a sermon to mark this year's Eid-Ul-Fitr celebration in Accra. He called on the Muslim community to avoid indiscriminate sex to protect the rights of children in society. He said the country's streets were inundated with children who did not know their parents, which affected their identity and survival in society. He said, 'Every child has the right to socialisation. It is the right of every child to have an identifiable father and mother. 'The child has the right to education, health, food, clothing, and accommodation,' he said. Alhaji Salih said anyone out of whose actions, a child cannot boast of his or her identifiable blood parentage and cannot find the rightful place in society committed a sin. 'Invariably, such children grow to develop inferiority complexes, become social misfits, and start feeling like unwanted outcasts,' he said. He stressed that a society where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer cannot be called a welfare state; rather, it was a state that infringed upon the rights of the citizens. Fasting, he explained, helped to remove and minimise the pains and sufferings of humanity and made us fit to face hardships. He said Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V, the Spiritual Leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, at the closing ceremony of the 91st Annual Convention, admonished all Ahmadi to demonstrate empathy and consider the sufferings of others as their own. Source: Ghana News Agency

Alhaji Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih, the Ameer and Missionary-in-Charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, has called on all to pray for peace ahead of this year's elections, devoid of violence and disturbances. 'Let's consider and tolerate people who belong to other political parties and avoid tendencies that will cause disunity in our country. 'We are looking for the good of the country, not individuals,' he said. The Ameer made the call on Thursday in a sermon to mark this year's Eid-Ul-Fitr celebration in Accra. He called on the Muslim community to avoid indiscriminate sex to protect the rights of children in society. He said the country's streets were inundated with children who did not know their parents, which affected their identity and survival in society. He said, 'Every child has the right to socialisation. It is the right of every child to have an identifiable father and mother. 'The child has the right to education, health, food, clothing, and accommodation,' he said. Alhaji Salih said anyone out of whose actions, a child cannot boast of his or her identifiable blood parentage and cannot find the rightful place in society committed a sin. 'Invariably, such children grow to develop inferiority complexes, become social misfits, and start feeling like unwanted outcasts,' he said. He stressed that a society where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer cannot be called a welfare state; rather, it was a state that infringed upon the rights of the citizens. Fasting, he explained, helped to remove and minimise the pains and sufferings of humanity and made us fit to face hardships. He said Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V, the Spiritual Leader of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, at the closing ceremony of the 91st Annual Convention, admonished all Ahmadi to demonstrate empathy and consider the sufferings of others as their own. Source: Ghana News Agency

Nene Shomshudeen Adjovu Ayisa I, the Muslim Community Chief of the Ada Traditional Area, has advised the youth to avoid engaging in unholy activities during the Eid al-Fitr celebrations, also known as 'Sallah'. He said some activities of the youth during the celebration were not only unholy but also not Islamic, noting that Sallah was about reflecting on the goodness of Allah and not about indecent activities. The Muslims in Kasseh-Ada and its surrounding communities in the Greater Accra Region gathered on Wednesday at the Kasseh Islamic School to thank God for taking them through the month-long fasting and ask for His blessings and sustenance in the coming days. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Nene Ayisa urged all Muslims, especially the youth, not to fall back into the old ways but to soberly reflect on Allah's goodness and avoid any activities that would displease Him. 'Don't go and dance to spinning or sound systems because that will lead to a total waste of all that you did through the la st 30 or so days. We don't have anything called Salla Jams; it is totally blasphemous and an abomination to Allah,' he said. 'How will men and women be seen together dancing and holding each other to profane songs? It's not Islamic at all.' Imam Yusif Abdullah Korley, the Imam of the Kasseh Central Mosque, who led the Muslims to pray for peace during and after the elections, entreated the youth to avoid scandalous activities and focus on getting decent jobs that paid well. He urged them to invest in their education for Allah to fulfil their heart desires while encouraging them to be hard-working for a brighter future. Imam Korley appealed to them to register and vote in the coming elections when the limited registration exercise commences as part of their civic responsibility. Source: Ghana News Agency

The National Council of Catholic Women, in partnership with the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women of Navrongo-Bolgatanga, has donated food and other items to asylum seekers at Tarikom, a refugee reception and resettlement centre in the Bawku West District of the Upper East Region. The donation, worth about GH?11,500 consisted of bags of rice, maize, millet, groundnut, gallons of cooking oil, vegetables and other local ingredients. Other items included liquid soap, bathing and washing soap, footwear, clothes including African print, toilet rolls and toothpaste. The donation, which coincided with the celebration of the Eid-ul-Fitr, was part of the activities and mission of the Catholic Women to support vulnerable and displaced persons, particularly women and children to live dignified lives. Currently, about 1,129 asylum seekers are being hosted at the Centre due to fctivities of violent extremists in some parts of Burkina Faso, which compelled many to seek refuge in Ghana. Most of them are women and chil dren. The Council of Catholic Women comprises representatives of the various women groups in the Catholic Church who work to support, empower and educate Catholic women in spirituality, leadership and service and provide relief to vulnerable people in society. On the sidelines of the exercise, Dame Cecilia Asobayire, the National President, National Council of Catholic Women, told the Ghana News Agency that one of the thematic areas of the Council was to support women and the less privileged. Most of the asylum seekers were Moslems, and it was refreshing for the Council to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr with them, she said. 'We know they are really traumatised because they have left their homes forcefully and some of them are separated from close relatives and don't even know when and where they can find them. It is really difficult to live in a strange place,' she said. 'So, we the Council of Catholic Women think that by doing this we will be able to transform some lives, bring some joy and inner peace to th em so that they will know that they are not alone.' Dame Asobayire reiterated the fact that women and children suffered the most in times of violence, which the youth were often used to perpetuate. 'We need to speak to our fellow women, to speak to our children so that they do not allow people to use them to perpetuate violence,' she added. She appealed to other humanitarian, civil society and non-governmental organisations and philanthropists to assist the asylum seekers to live dignified lives. Mr Adam Mohammed, the Camp Manager, Tarikom Resettlement Centre, thanked the Council of Catholic Women for the gesture and said it would complement the humanitarian efforts made so far. Source: Ghana News Agency