Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama has observed that Ghanaians cannot afford to sacrifice the nation’s peace for any political end. He said West Africa has paid dearly for using violence as a means in resolving differences. In his view the collective experiences gained from insecurity over the years have positioned citizens in the sub-region to reject violence at all cost. Alhaji Aliu made these remarks in Accra when he officially opened the 7th West Africa Inter-Religious Coordinating Committee Regional Consultation.
Delegates attending the three-day meeting are from Ghana , Liberia , Sierra Leone , Senegal , Benin , Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire . The programme which is being hosted by the Ghana Conference of Religions for Peace has the theme: Confronting Violence and Advancing Shared Security in West Africa .
Alhaji Aliu reminded religious leaders of the great influence they have over their followers and hope they will bring some to bear on them to cherish peaceful co-existence and unity of purpose for the continent’s development. He asked Africans particularly those in West Africa not to forget about the consequences of conflicts and instability which include destroyed institutions, weakened economies, small arms proliferation, cross border, crimes, malnutrition and hunger.
