The Right Reverend Nuh Ben Abubekr, Methodist Bishop of Kumasi, has called on well-meaning Ghanaians to pray fervently to God to ensure peaceful elections next year. He cautioned the citizenry not to take for granted the peace the nation was enjoying, saying achieving peace was not an event but a process and therefore advocated tolerance of divergent views for effective democratic dispensation. This was contained in his Christmas and New Year message issued in Kumasi on Wednesday and copied to the press. Rt. Rev. Abubekr noted that it was high time Ghanaians denounced violence, radicalism, culture of threats and arrogance which were a recipe for chaos and disturbances in the country. He said; “as we end the year and look forward to the New Year, it behoves all and sundry to be peace-loving, kind to one another and promote peaceful co-existence to enable the nation achieve her political and socio-economic aspirations”. The Methodist Bishop expressed concern that the year 2007 witnessed not too pleasant developments, citing ethnic conflicts, butchering of spouses, lynching of perceived criminals, domestic violence, rapes and defilements. In spite of those developments, Rt. Rev. Abubekr praised God for showering his blessings on the nation and mentioned particularly the miraculous escape of President John Agyekum Kufour from a fatal accident. He expressed optimism that Ghana would do all it could to ensure a successful Ghana 2008 Football Tournament devoid of hooliganism and violence stressing that it was important for the nation to use the occasion to showcase her rich cultural heritage on tourism potentials for the benefits of the people. Source: GNA