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Pastor Samuel Larmie, President of the Southern Ghana Union Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist (SDA) Church, has admonished religious leaders to preach peace for members to desist from acts that would bring discourse as the country prepares to go to the polls next year.

He said the goodness of the election must be a topmost priority for every Ghanaian, but the religious institutions must stick their heads straight in ensuring that the elections were conducted peacefully devoid of any chaos.

Pastor Larmie was addressing hundreds of Seventh-Day Adventists who converged in Cape Coast for the inauguration of the Mid-South Ghana Conference of the Central Region on Saturday.

The ceremony, which was on the theme, “Live the mission, Jesus is coming again”, brought together worshippers from other denominations including the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission as well as other political figures.

He also cautioned leaders of the various political parties to be mindful of their utterances, actions and inactions as it had the potential of influencing their supporters to indulge in violence.

His caution comes at a time when there had been a lot of tension in the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) with some party faithful losing their lives.

Pastor Larmie stressed that though some actions of Ghanaians in the past nearly threw the country into chaos, he believed that Ghana would learn from countries that have been destroyed by wars through elections.

He said although people had the right to join any political party of their choice, they were to do so with love and understanding for the country to be stronger enough to pursue the needed development.

Pastor Solomon Kofi Asante, President of the Mid-South Ghana Conference of Central Region, explained that missionary work in the Central Region has seen a tremendous growth which has facilitated the elevation to ‘conference status’.

The Seventh –Day Adventist Church which started in the Central Region in the year 1888 now has a membership of about 20,000.

The Church was bent on winning more souls for Christ in this end time, Pastor Asante noted, adding that, through the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) it had contributed immensely to the development of the Region and Ghana in the area of education, agriculture, environment and health.

He tasked members of the Church to commit much of their time, energy and wealth to the service of God to fulfill their purpose of existence on earth.

The Central Regional Minister Aquinas Tawiah Quansah described the theme for the ceremony as befitting and charged those holding leadership positions in the church to lead exemplary lives and constantly guard against all negatives that had the tendency to damage their objectives.

He commended the SDA Church and all other faith based organizations who have partnered with the government over the years in the delivery of services such as education and healthcare to the people of Ghana.

He entreated the youth to hold in high esteem their Christian virtues so as to win more souls for God.