By Jones Anlimah
At a joint General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, and Église Évangélique Presbytérienne Du Togo held at Ho, in the Volta Region, the call was for religious and traditional leaders to advocate for peaceful dialogue and diplomatic negotiations in resolving conflicts within the West African Subregion.
To this end, the Church believes using diplomacy is the best option to addressing the political crises in Niger, as attempts to use Military force could exacerbate tensions and lead to further instability in Niger and neighbouring countries.
The Joint Synod, among others, was to strengthen the relationship between the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana, and Église Évangélique Presbytérienne du Togo, fostering a renewed commitment to their shared values and faith. It also underscored the desire of both churches to work together to nurture a deeper sense of unity and faith among their congregations.
Through a series of plenary sessions, workshops, and worship services, delegates were engaged in discussions on pressing theological, social, and community issues.
During fraternal messages at the opening ceremony of the joint synod, speakers highlighted the shared history, cultural heritage, and spiritual bond that unite the two branches of the Church.
The Member of Parliament for Ho Central Constituency, Mr Benjamin Kpodo, urged the leadership of the Church in Togo to be at the forefront in calling on the Togolese government to engage in further discussions about ways to support efforts to restore political stability in Niger and other countries facing similar challenges in the Subregion without necessarily using military invasions.
“They should join us to tell the President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe, as we are doing in Ghana, to desist from Military invasion of Niger. Rather stay back and use diplomatic means to resolve the problem in Niger,” he said.
The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Reverend Lt. Colonel Bliss Kofi Agbeko, urged government to use available resources for the improvement of the country’s numerous challenges and rather commit to negotiation as the best option to helping resolve the political crisis in Niger.
According to him, the people of Niger deserve stability and a chance for a peaceful resolution to their challenges without any loss of lives.
“I advise as a cleric that government should not commit our troops to this kind of adventure. It is needless. Monies should be used to solve problems in the country,” he said.
Reverend Lt. Colonel Bliss Kofi Agbeko added, “the best option will be through diplomatic means. Our politicians should make sure that they rule in a way that the people are not so aggrieved as to seek means and ways to topple Governments.”
A communiqué is expected to be issued at the end of the synod.
