By Millicent Senava Mannah
The Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion in collaboration with the Inter-Religious Council of Sierra Leone agreed on organizing a Nationwide Thanksgiving Day to be dedicated to God Almighty for making it possible to have peaceful elections throughout the country.
The agreement was arrived at during a discussion meeting that was convened between the Commission and the Inter-Religious Council on the 30th June, 2023 at the Bintumani International Conference Centre.
Giving an overview of the discussion, the Executive Secretary of ICPNC, Hawa Samai intimated that the meeting was held to commend religious leaders for the work they did during the electioneering period, more particularly with regards the preaching of peace messages to their various congregations, and for them to chose a National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving, and how they want them to champion the programme.
She disclosed that the next step that the ICPNC will take has to do with reconciliation, stating how the Inter-Religious Council has a critical role to play in building a peaceful nation further revealing how they intend to get to the President and the main Opposition Leader in order to bring them together in the spirit of reconciliation.
One of the key stakeholders, Bishop Temple, said on behalf of his colleagues that the National Day of Prayer of Thanksgiving is important as well as reconciliation adding how they need to treat those issues seriously.
He furthered that they want to pray for the peace of the nation, but how they don’t just want to pray but also want to be part of the decision making process.
It was learnt that they should embark on a reconciliation process all over the country, starting with the two main political leaders; and all other opposition leaders. They further agreed on the mechanisms they would use to go about the reconciliation process.
Both parties further agreed to fix a date for the National Day of Prayer of Thanksgiving which it was said will be held in all the Mosques and Churches in the country.
The Executive Secretary of ICPNC affirmed that, it is their responsibility that peace must prevail saying how there is a big elephant that needs to be fought as it is dividing the nation and how all Sierra Leoneans must ensure to kill that elephant.
The discussion was climaxed by both parties visiting the Situation Room facility at the Freetown International Centre, where they have workers from different institutions like ONS, PPRC and others all working together.
