President John Dramani Mahama has urged Ghanaians to focus on how to work together to propel the country's socio-economic development, even after the final verdict of the Supreme Court on the election petition challenging his victory in the 2012 presidential election.
He said it was important for Ghanaians not to allow the election petition to divide their ranks and forget their common interests as a people with a common destiny.
''Ghana is the only country that we have. God put us here for a purpose. Therefore, we must learn to work together. We have to put the election petition behind and focus on building a better Ghana for our people,'' he demanded of Ghanaians.
President Mahama made the call at the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at the Black Star Square in Accra yesterday.
Muslims, young and old, dressed in their beautiful outfits, converged on the Black Star Square to observe the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers under the leadership of the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu.
Eid-ul-Fitr
Eid-Ul-Fitr falls on the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month in the Islamic calendar, after the completion of a 30-day fasting in the month of Ramadan.
It is a thanksgiving day when Muslims assemble in a brotherly and joyful atmosphere to thank Allah for helping them to fulfill their spiritual obligation of fasting.
Allah has promised Muslims of His forgiveness, mercy and blessing on the day.
President on Peace
The President referred to the statement made by the late President John Evans Atta Mills to the effect that Ghana was the only country that Ghanaians had.
He said it was important for Ghanaians to be guided by that admonition, since the development of the country depended on the collective contribution of all citizens.
He said it was important for Ghanaians to preserve the prevailing peace in the country, since it was the foundation of every development.
He stressed that it was only in an atmosphere of peace and security that the country could attain the desired development to improve the living standards of the people.
The President said it was significant that Eid-ul-Fitr had come at a time when Ghanaians were preparing for the final court verdict of the Supreme Court on the election petition.
He, therefore, urged Ghanaians to use the day to reflect on where they wanted to move the country to.
He said he swore at the Black Star Square in January, this year, to respect and preserve the country's constitution.
He added that the Supreme Court was empowered by the country's constitution to adjudicate in cases, including election petitions, for which reason he was on oath to respect the verdict of the Supreme Court on the petition.
President Mahama commended the leaders of the various religious faiths for co-existing peacefully in the country and asked them to continue to maintain co-operation to guarantee peace and stability in the country.
He urged the youth not to allow themselves to be influenced by selfish politicians to visit mayhem on their perceived opponents.
''Let them fight their own battle,'' he charged the youth.
President Mahama said the drive to achieve unity and peace would be the guiding principle throughout his term in office.
Hajj
Touching on the Hajj, the President said he had approved a committee's recommendation for the formation of a National Pilgrimages Board to manage the operations of Hajj and other pilgrimages in the country.
Consequently, he said, the Chief of Staff, Mr Prosper Douglas Bani, had constituted a committee to liaise with the Attorney-General's Department to draft the bill for the formation of the National Pilgrimages Board.
He expressed the hope that the board would be ready to manage Hajj operations next year.
The President said as a result of some engineering work in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Hajj authorities had reduced the quota of all countries for this year's Hajj.
Consequently, he said, Ghana's quota had been reduced from 6,700 to 5,400.
He, therefore, urged prospective pilgrims to pay their Hajj fares on time, since the processing of travelling documents would be done on a first-come, first-served basis.
President Mahama thanked the government and people of Turkey for funding the ongoing construction of a national mosque at Kanda in Accra.
Ramadan
On the Ramadan fast, the President said it was a period of spiritual uplift, self-discipline and fellow-feeling.
He, therefore, urged Muslim youth to avoid the riding of motorbikes in a wild manner and other dangerous activities during the celebration to avoid getting injured or killed in the process.
Chief Imam
The National Chief Imam, in a speech read on his behalf by his Spokesperson, Alhaji Gado Mohammed, commended the government for working to end the energy crisis.
He also noted that the spate of fire outbreaks had gone down significantly.
Sheikh Sharubutu urged Ghanaians to respect the verdict of the Supreme Court on the election petition, no matter which way it would go.
He said God had blessed Ghana with peace, while other African countries had suffered several conflicts.
He said it was important for Ghanaians to show gratitude to God by avoiding any acts that could mar the peace in the country.
The National Chief Imam prayed for God's guidance for President Mahama and his team and also for the continuous peace, stability and development of the country.
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