Sunyani-Ghana, Nov. 22, GNA – Dr Haruna Zagoon Sayeed, a lecturer at the University of Ghana has called on Muslims, Christians and other religious sects to help the nation develop and implement comprehensive policy direction to shape religious activities and thereby strengthen national peace and social cohesion.
He emphasised that religion, culture and faith remained critical and essential elements and played an integral role in the holistic development of the nation, hence the need for a national policy framework to guide and ensure that religion and culture pushed and contributed significantly to national progress and not to divide the people and thereby threaten national peace.
Dr Zaagon made the call at the Bono Regional consultation on the policy on religion, organised by the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture Affairs (MCCA), held at Abesim, near Sunyani and attended by traditional authorities, religious institutions, civil society actors, security agencies, and heads of Departments and Agencies in the region.
The UNFPA is supporting the MCCA to undertake nationwide consultations to collect public views and inputs to be integrated and finalise a national religion policy framework that would guide religion and culture in the country.
Dr Zaagon said research showed that the national prevailing peace and stability remained fragile due to several factors including religious and political activities and the rise in youth unemployment and called on the Government to do more and create more jobs for the youth.
He said according to the 2020 Population and Housing Census, people with Christian and Islam backgrounds formed a chunk of the national population, hence the need for a national policy to guide and shape religious activities for the nation to derive optimum benefit.
Dr Zaagon said religion and culture shaped attitudes and behaviours, saying as the embodiment of the people, the views and inputs of religious leaders and traditional authorities would help the nation design and implement realistic national policy on religion.
He said harmful and outmoded traditional practices such as the Female Genital Mutilation, as well as gender-based violence and other abuses remained inimical to the growth and development of women and girls, which needed to be stemmed out of society.
Mr Bawa Faisal, a Programmes Director, UNFPA, stressed the United Nations agency’s commitment to support the MCCA to develop the policy, and called on Ghanaians to also develop the interest and contribute to the formulation and implementation of the policy.
He explained that similar consultations were on-going in the other 15 regions, and entreated the participants to open, contribute and help collect sensitive views that would help shape the policy framework.
