The petition by the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church to change the date of December 7, 2024 general elections did not go well with some Ghanaians.
According to them, a true patriotic person who is concerned about the development of the country will vote irrespective of when the date falls.
The SDA church has petitioned the Electoral Commission to make an amendment to the December 7, 2024 general elections.
They said, 7th December falls on Saturday, which according to the church is Sabbath and that it should be observed as a holy day dedicated to the worship of God.
In the petition, the church proposed the first or second Tuesday of November to hold the elections.
“In anticipation of changing the date for general elections from December 7 to the first (1st) or second (2nd) Tuesday of November, the Leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church met with the Electoral Commission (EC) on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.” The church said in a statement.
But speaking in an interview with Accra – based United Television (UTV), some Ghanaians have rejected the proposal.
According to them, Ghana is governed by the constitution and that it should be respected as such.
They said, there have been many elections in the country that fall on Sundays and Fridays but nobody complained so they must respect the law of the land.
Another woman called out the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church for their position on the date of the elections.
She said if you are a citizen and patriotic who is concerned about the development of the country, you will go and cast your vote on that day.
“I suggest that we should hold the elections on December 7, you must respect the law, if you are a true patriot who is much concerned about the development of the country, you will go and vote irrespective of when the date falls” She said.
“There is no need for any amendment, it is just a day so the elections should be held. What I know is that we hold general elections on 7th December so we must go and vote whether it falls on any day of the week” One man said.
“December 7 is a constitutional day for voting so if it falls on saturday and the SDA church says they want EC to change the date, I don’t agree with them. If it is Friday and Muslims oppose it and Christians also oppose Sunday, you can imagine what will happen in the country, when it falls on weekdays, workers seek permission from work to go and vote so there should not be any amendment.”
Another trader revealed that some SDA members sneak in to buy her items on saturday days so the election date should not be changed from December 7.
“You should not buy anything on saturdays’ but you still violate the law, I sell bread and I have SDA customers who sneak in to buy it so why can’t we vote on December 7? What about those who go to church on sundays.? She stated.
“Every country is ruled by law, we all work under the constitution so for me I suggest that we should follow the constitution” One man indicated.
General elections will be held in Ghana on 7 December 2024 to elect the president and members of Parliament.
Eligible voters must be Ghanaian citizens who are at least 18 years old, although those declared insane are disenfranchised. Parliamentary candidates must be Ghanaian citizens at least 18 years old, and either be resident in their constituency or have lived there for at least five of the ten years prior to the election.
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has elected vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as their flagbearer while the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has presented former president John Dramani Mahama as their flagbearer to face the elections.
On 25 September 2023, Alan John Kyeremanten formed the Movement For Change party to aspire for the 2024 Ghanian general election as an independent presidential candidate.
For his part, Ghanaian businessman, Nana Kwame Bediako known as Freedom Jacob Caesar or Cheddar has announced that he would run as the candidate for the New Force movement.
Source: Elvisanokyenews.com
