A member of the Muslim Caucus in Parliament, Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak, has called for cool heads to prevail following the controversy that ensued after a Muslim student was prevented from observing the just ended Ramadan fast at the Wesley Girls’ High School.
The school was directed by the Ghana Education Service (GES) to allow the Muslim students to partake in the fast, but the Methodist Church intervened and said the school would not heed the directive.
The church and the school have been criticised over the issue.
But Alhaji Muntaka Mubarak cautioned Ghanaians, especially the youth, to be mindful of their comments on the issue.
This, according to him, will help calm issues, promote peaceful co-existence and ensure tolerance while the issue is being addressed.
“We reminded the Peace Council that this discrimination does not only happen in schools but at workplaces as well. This is not right, because we have diverse beliefs, and we should be guided by the fact that this country is a secular state. Let’s remind one another that living together is better than segregation. We can’t operate a country where everyone wants the other to do things their way.”
“This is the only country we have. As an MP, I am not more Ghanaian than any other. We are all Ghanaians and equal shareholders. This is not a matter of which religion has the majority. We are all equal, and so let’s be careful how we handle the issue. Let’s choose to live peacefully and tolerate one another.”
The Asawase legislator is hopeful that the dialogue between key stakeholders involved in the impasse will yield positive results.
“I am sure that with all the efforts all stakeholders have put in, we will be able to settle this.”
Meanwhile, members of the National Peace Council on Monday, May 17, 2021, paid a courtesy call on the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu at his Fadama residence in Accra.
The Chairman of the Council, Reverend Dr. Ernest Adu Gyamfi, noted that it has been working behind the scenes and engaging relevant stakeholders to resolve the impasse.
He further indicated that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) governing mission schools is currently in the works.
