The Muslim caucus in Parliament has met with the authorities of Wesley Girls’ High School in the Central Region after it emerged that students of the Islamic faith have been prevented from observing the Holy Ramadan fast.
The father of a first-year Muslim student had accused the school’s authorities of preventing his daughter from engaging in any Islamic activity, including the Ramadan fast, which is obligatory for every healthy Muslim.
The decision by authorities of the Cape Coast-based girls’ school not to allow Muslim students to partake in the annual spiritual exercise attracted criticism from a section of the public, particularly the Islamic community.
The meeting between the Muslim Members of Parliament (MPs), leaders of the Muslim community, officials of the Methodist Church, and the school was aimed at resolving the issue as quickly as possible.
The Muslim delegation was led by Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, MP for Asawase and Minority Chief Whip of Parliament of Ghana and included Collins Dauda, Hassan Tampuli, and Habib Iddrisu; representing the two political parties in Parliament.
The others were representatives from the office of National Chief Imam, Ghana Police Service, Islamic Affairs and the Methodist Church, led by its Presiding Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. Paul Kwabena Boafo.
A statement issued by the Muslim caucus in Parliament after the meeting disclosed that the two sides had frank and cordial discussions on the matter, with an assurance of an amicable resolution.
“The church assured the Muslim delegation of their commitment to resolve the issue within a couple of days In shaa Allah. His Eminence the Presiding Bishop assured that the Board of the school, of which he is the Chairman, will be meeting to discuss the issue and the concerns of the delegation and others will be graciously taken on board to amicably resolve the problem,” Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka said in a statement after the meeting.
The church is said to have also pledged to keep the delegation informed on the specific decision taken at the meeting regarding the resolution of the issue at stake.
Meanwhile, the Muslim caucus in Parliament has asked all Muslims to “exercise self-restraint, as we are taught in the Month of Ramadan, on the matter and to allow the able leadership of the Methodist Church to deal with the case in consultation with all relevant stakeholders.”
The student at the centre of the impasse, Bushira Ismail said that though inconvenient, she has accepted the conditions of the school.
She is one of a number of Muslim girls in Wesley Girls’ High School, who have allegedly been prevented from practising their faith.
Even though the headmistress of the school, Kay Oppong Ankomah, declined to speak on the issue, sources in the school say that Muslims are not allowed to practice their faith in the school because Wesley Girls is a mission school.
