Ashaiman Muslim Coalition Calls For National Dialogue On Religious Tolerance In Schools

The coalition of Muslim Councils in Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region has called on the government to instigate a national dialogue on peaceful co-existence of the practitioners of the various faiths in schools around the country.

In a statement, the Ashaiman Muslim Coalition (AMC) said such a national dialogue is urgent in the wake of a teacher at the Wesley Girls High School allegedly disallowing a Muslim from practicing her faith.

“The Executive of Ashaiman Muslim Coalition (AMC), a mouthpiece of all Muslim organization in Ashaiman Municipality and its environs, in consultation with the Council of Imams, Council of Muslim Chiefs and Office of Sarkin Musilimi, wish to call on His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo, the President of the Republic of Ghana to as a matter of URGENCY call for a NATIONAL DIALOGUE through the Education Ministry on the above subject matter,” the group stated.

“This call will eventually lead the country into a National Policy aimed at resolving some challenges affecting peaceful co-existence in our Public Educational Institutions.”

According to the group, this call has become necessary as a result of the sheer hatred and intolerable actions exhibited by the Headmistress of Wesley Girls Senior High School for allegedly, preventing Muslim girls (students) from practicing their FAITH on campus.”

The statement is signed by Hon. Aziz Suleimana, PRO of the AMC. It comes days after a Muslim parent, Ishmael Zakaria Alhassan, stormed the Wesley Girls SHS in Cape Coast to withdraw his daughter because the school operates a policy that does not allow students to fast.

As it was the Ramadan month, Mr. Zakaria Alhassan had lamented that the refusal to allow his daughter fast amounted to an abuse of her religious rights.

However, the school has explained that the reason for the disallowance of fasting is purely medical and has nothing to do with faith.

The AMC did not accept the explanation in its statement, saying: “We call on the Headmistress and all other heads of Public schools to uphold and defend the 1992 constitution of Ghana, which states in Article 21(1) C that; All persons shall have the freedom to practice any religion and manifest such practice.”

“We wish to strongly state that, Ghana as a peaceful nation has come a long way and we as people must always remember that, no group of persons or religious bodies can be an island, let us co-exist for peaceful atmosphere that brings growth and prosperity,” the Muslim group noted.