Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church has insisted on its decision to uphold the sanctity of its belief system despite the civic duty for all Ghanaians to cast their ballot on the scheduled election date, which falls on a Saturday.
This comes after President Akufo-Addo’s request for the church to reconsider its decision against voting on December 7 appears to have been unsuccessful.
In a statement, the church noted that “The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ghana recognises the civic responsibility of its members to participate in the democratic process, including exercising their right to vote. However, we wish to reiterate our longstanding conviction that voting on Saturday, the Sabbath of the Lord, is not in alignment with our religious beliefs.”
The Sabbath, observed from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday, according to the church, holds deep spiritual significance for Adventists.
“It is a day dedicated to worship, rest, and communion with God. Our long-standing conviction and teaching have been that members should not engage in non-religious activities, including voting. Voting on the Sabbath is therefore contrary to our understanding of its sanctity.
The SDA Church is urging the Electoral Commission and relevant stakeholders to change the election date.
The statement indicated the leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church has consistently advocated for an election date change to accommodate members’ religious observance.
“The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ghana respects the right of its members to vote. However, on the matter of voting on Saturday, we urge members to prayerfully ensure that their decisions are consistent with the Adventist belief on the sanctity of the Sabbath.
“While we respect the diversity of opinions within our membership, this statement, issued by the Southern Ghana Union Conference and Northern Ghana Union Conference is the Church in Ghana’s official position on Sabbath observance and voting on Saturday, December 7, 2024,” the statement concluded.