<<Print>>

The Deputy Minister of Women and Children�s Affairs, Hajia Hawawu Boya, has said the intra and inter conflicts in parts of the country retarded the growth of those areas while women and children faced the consequences of such conflicts. She said some of the women and children fled the conflict areas and migrated to the cities in search of menial jobs, such as head porters or �Kayaye�, while the young men were lured into criminal activities. Speaking at the launch of a book titled: is Jesus Christ a Christian or a Muslim?, written by a US-based Ghanaian Islamic scholar, Sheikh Boya blamed the situation on the low level of education among the people, saying that �Whatever we know today is a reflection of what we know.� She, therefore, stressed on the need for Ghanaians to collaborate with the government in its efforts at promoting education in the country. The book centres on Jesus as the link between Christians and Muslims since the two religious faiths believe in him, although they differ in his identity. While Christians believe that Jesus is the son of God. Muslims believe that Jesus is a prophet of God as was Abraha. Noah and Prophet Mohammed. Hajia Boya urged Muslims to continue to live in peace and unity among themselves and with other religious faiths, saying, �that will ensure peaceful coexistence in the world.� Sheikh Sallau said both Muslim and Christians saw Jesus as a holy man, and therefore asked followers of the two religious faiths not to ridicule each other. He urged Muslims and Christians, �to look at what link us together rather than what divide us� and stressed that �Jesus should be the link and not the source of our differences.� Sheikh Sallau said the teachings of the Holy Qur�an and those of the Holy Bible stressed the firm belief in One God and that they all preached the same religion. Sheikh Sallau said a better understanding between Muslims and Christians would correct the misconception among them and help them to coexist peacefully and bring about the needed development in the world.