The Right Reverend Dr Gordon Kisseih, First Vice President, Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC), has urged the public to exercise restraint when expressing disagreement with the leadership of the country.

“Everyone has the right to express him or herself, however, we must exercise restraint expressing our disagreement on issues,” he said.

Rev Kisseih made the remarks on the sidelines of the 2022 National Delegates Conference of the GPCC in Accra.

The conference brought together delegates of the Council to deliberate on issues affecting the Church and the country.

He said when people were not happy with decisions by leaders, they should find a peaceful way to show their displeasure devoid of that, which would bring chaos.

“Right now our nation is so polarised that anything you say, you are considered for or against, so we have to exercise restraint in the way we behave,” he stressed.

Rev Kisseih called on law enforcement agencies to always safeguard the safety of the public when they expressed their displeasure through demonstrations.

“It is unfortunate that lives are being lost and people injured due to disagreements and demonstrations. Demonstrations will continue to happen but no lives should be taken,” he said.

He dispelled notions that the Church was silent on the happenings in the country, saying they were working behind the scenes championing citizens’ interest.

He said they had no sides or favourites, adding that, as religious leaders their words and actions aimed at building peace and unity in the country.

“We have sought to build partnership and alliance with other Christian Church Council, the Government, Civil Society, Development Partners and other external stakeholders in our quest to strengthen our prophetic and advocacy role in the peace, governance and socio-economic transformation of our country in the long term,” he added.

The theme for the event was: “Defending the Christian Faith in Contemporary Times.”

The GPCC is a faith-based organisation and the umbrella body of over 200 Pentecostal and Charismatic Christian churches in Ghana with a mandate to pursue the unity of the body of Christ, propagate the Gospel and meet the spiritual and socio-economic needs of members and Ghanaians.

The member churches, which constitute the GPCC, include Assemblies of God Ghana, The Apostolic Church, Christ Apostolic Church International, Fountain Gate Chapel and the Church of Pentecost.

Others are The Church of God, Global Evangelical Church of Ghana and Deeper Life Church.