National chief Imam Sheikh Osumanu Sharubutu (L) shaking hands with Most Reverend Palmer- Buckle and Vice President Bawumia at the background

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has noted that Ghana’s religious harmony has contributed significantly to national development of the country.

He also attributed the peaceful co-existence between religious bodies partly to Ghana’s recent ranking as the most peaceful country in West Africa.

Vice President Bawumia stated these when he addressed Muslims at this year’s Eid-ul-Fitr celebration at the Black Star Square in Accra yesterday.

“Already Ghana is globally acclaimed as a very peaceful country and we have attained enviable positions on the global peace index as the most peaceful country in West Africa and the second most peaceful in Africa.

“It is because of the tolerance, cooperation and mutual respect between Muslims and Christians across the country, elsewhere faith-based groups are at each other’s throat and are destructive elements to the peace of their communities.

“Here in Ghana, we are blessed with tolerance and progressive religious leadership which are contributing meaningfully to national development. Let us continue to strengthen our ties regardless of our different religious identities so that we can continue to positively influence our communities and nation,” Bawumia added.

Ghana ranked 2nd in Africa

Ghana has been ranked the second most peaceful country in Africa in the 2021 Global Peace Index report by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).

The IEP is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think tank dedicated to shifting the world’s focus to peace as a positive, achievable, and tangible measure of human well-being and progress.

A look at the snapshot of the global state of peace as captured in the report, Ghana is ranked 38th out of the 163 countries reviewed.

Ghana scored 1.715 which represents a two-point move upward from the previous Global Peace Index report.