W/African clerics seek establishment of ECOWAS inter-faith body

Some Religious clerics in the ECOWAS sub-region have identified dialogue and the establishment of an inter-faith body in member states as crucial to strengthening religious tolerance in the sub-region.

The clerics made this known at the ongoing delocalised meeting of the ECOWAS Parliament’s joint Committee of Education, Science and Culture/Committee on Health/Committee on Telecommunications and Information Technology in Praia, Caper Verde.

These, they noted, could also be viable solutions to addressing religious extremism and conflicts in some member countries in the sub-region.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting holding from Sept. 13 to Sept. 18 has the theme, “Religious tolerance and harmony: Essential factors for development, peace, and stability in the ECOWAS region”.

Prof. Usman Mohammed, a professor of International Relations at Kaduna State University, in a paper presentation spoke of the need for collaborated efforts of the government, parliamentarians, and non-governmental organisations to ensure religious tolerance.

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Using Ghana as a case study, Mohammed said the country had, for many decades, demonstrated the possibility of harmonious inter-religious co-existence through individual and communal efforts.

“Ghana remains a rare model and evident justification that religious tolerance and harmony is a possibility and is capable of ensuring peace and stimulating development through decent and formable inter-faith dialogue.

“This is because religious devotees in Ghana are more than those who claimed not to belong to any religion.

“Such initiative to ensure peace and societal harmony can either be communal or individualistic.

“Right from the past to the present, there have been deliberate and conscious individual and collaborative efforts to ensure and enhance religious tolerance, harmony, and calmness in Ghana,” Mohammed said.

While appreciating the Nigerian government in its drive to find a lasting solution to security challenges in the country, Mohammed emphasised the need for the government to redouble their efforts in engaging religious groups for dialogue.

Mohammed also urged Parliamentarians, to engage their constituencies in regular dialogue on peaceful co-existence.

(NAN)

W/African clerics seek establishment of ECOWAS inter-faith body