NDC will introduce national day of prayer and thanksgiving – John Mahama

Former President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to introduce an annual national day of prayer and thanksgiving to unite people of all faiths in expressing gratitude and seeking divine guidance for their country.

Speaking at a meeting with religious leaders in Ho, Volta Region, Mr Mahama emphasized the importance of thanksgiving in all circumstances, citing biblical teachings and international examples.

He shared his experiences attending national thanksgiving and prayer events in the United States and Zambia, which prompted him to start a similar tradition in Ghana.

“Even though God expect to work hard to improve our circumstances, also recognize that spiritually you must intercede for God to open the gates for you and so in the United States, in Zambia and so many countries I have been to, I have been invited to a National thanksgiving and prayers dedication and so we intend to introduce a national day of prayer and thanksgiving,” he said.

Mr Mahama added that, “We will give thanks to God for all that God has done for us because he said count your blessings and if you appreciate what the Lord has done for you he will do even more for you”.

Mr Mahama said this collective prayer and thanksgiving will invoke God’s blessings and prosperity for the nation.

“So we will hold a national day of prayers for both the Christian and Muslim communities so that all of us together will continue to intercede for God to open the gates for Ghana so that our country will prosper,” Mr Mahama said.

Mr Mahama also urged voters to be mindful of the power of leaders to make choices that affect many lives and elect leaders they can trust to make discerning decisions.

The NDC flag bearer stressed the crucial role of integrity and transparency in leadership, noting that leaders’ decisions have far-reaching impacts.

“Leadership is about making choices that shape lives, and it’s essential to exercise discernment in decision-making, as the consequences of those choices affect countless individuals,” he said.

Mr Mahama shared his concerns about the consequences of poor leadership, citing the example of President Bush’s decision to go to war, which cost many lives.

He stressed the need to choose leaders with good character, saying, “Some come like sheep but are wolves, so we have to be careful.”

He also criticised the current government’s handling of the banking sector crisis as a bad choice, saying, “If I were president, I wouldn’t have collapsed those banks, throwing thousands into hardship.”

“You said you wanted them to raise their minimum capital requirements to Gh400 million meanwhile they had given loans to contractors that the government had not paid and if it was paid they could have raised their capital and on top of it you guaranteed the deposits of their customers which cost about $2.2 billion, Mr Mahama said.

Peace
The religion leaders, who welcomed Mr Mahama with cheers, praised his peaceful campaign.

Leader of the Christian community, Rev. Seth Kwasi Mawutor said: “I have monitored your campaign and we are excited about the peaceful manner you are conducting it. So the church prays that it will continue to be peaceful during and after the election.”

They prayed for a peaceful election and presented him with a Bible, encouraging him to trust in the Lord.

The Muslim community also expressed their support for Mr Mahama and the NDC, saying they wanted justice and peace.

They prayed for his protection and called on the Electoral Commission to ensure a fair election.