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The Christian Council of Ghana (CCG) has called on politicians to show mutual respect for one another as they conduct their political campaigns in order not to mar the peace.

“Respect for others in political discourse will preserve our national cohesion and identity as one people in one country with a common destiny. Destroying others to win votes on the other hand threatens our fledgling democracy and peace,” the Council stated.

A statement signed by the Reverend Paul Kwabena Boafo, Chairman of the CCG, and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Friday, urged political parties to embark on clean campaigns and focus on explaining their policies and visions to the citizens.

“We entreat political leaders and their followers and other stakeholders in this year’s General Election to exercise restraint and exhibit decorum in their speech during political discourse,” it said.

“Politicians must avoid defamation of character and eschew ethnocentric, gender and religious insensitive statements that have the tendency to spark violence.”

The Council said it had observed that the political discourse was still replete with insults and provocative statements and disrespect for one another, which was unfortunate and detrimental to the sustainable peace and development of the country.

“As Christian leaders, we uphold the dignity of all citizens of Ghana as people created in the image and likeness of God and, therefore, condemn abusive and divisive politics in our country,” the statement said.

It said decency and respect for one another must be the foundation of the country’s democracy and reminded all that political opponents were not enemies but brothers and sisters who had divergent views on how the nation should be governed.

The statement reminded all Ghanaians that the country had come a long way in its democratic process and, therefore, needed not to jeopardize the gains achieved over the years.

It expressed the hope that “with prayers and efforts to respect others in our political engagements, Ghana will enjoy peace and unity before, during and after the December 7, 2020 General Election”.