By Fatou Sillah
The Minister of Local Government, Lands and Religious Affairs, Sheriff Abba Sanyang, has cautioned against religious intolerance in the country.
He called it a “threat” to national cohesion and peace, and urged religious leaders to preach peace, and desist from personal attacks and incitement to violence.
‘Religious leaders have a responsibility to preach peace. Religion should not be used to incite violence, or discredit other religious scholars or groups,” Sanyang said.
The Minister also discouraged what he called “indiscriminate” selling of lands, saying the act is a ‘threat to the environment’ and urged all to desist from it.
“Let’s protect our forest like tomorrow is coming. Selling lands until they are finished will make staying in the country hard. Our lives are coming from there, our residences are from there, our animals should be coming from there, our schools should be coming from there. Our lands are not increasing, but human beings are increasing,” he advised.
He called for a “sober” reflection on the consequences of selling communal lands, at a time when land conflict is seemingly on the rise in the country.
He made the remarks at a meeting in Chamoi village in the ongoing “Meet The People Tour”.