Peace Council Calls For Calm Over No Fasting Saga
The National Peace Council has announced an intervention plan to find an amicable solution to the recent events at the Wesley Girls’ High School where a muslim student was prevented from fasting in the ongoing Ramadan.
It seems stakeholders have taken an entrenched position over the matter with the Methodist Church saying it would not respect a directive from the Ghana Education Service that the students who wish to fast should be allowed.
The school’s Parents Teachers Association (PTA) has also waded into the matter throwing its weight behind the Church and the school but cautioning that the issue at stake should not be dealt with as a religious one.
The PTA explains that it is a school regulation that predates the current batch of students and that every guardian and parent signed to respect the school’s rules.
The National Peace Council, obviously perturbed about the development issued a statement on Wednesday May 5 that called on Ghanaians, particularly, those affected by recent events at the Wesley Girls’ Senior High School to exercise “the greatest restraint and circumspection in their comments and pronouncements on the matter.”
The statement, signed by Rev Dr. Ernest Adu Gyamfi, Chairman of the National Peace Council read:
The National Peace Council has taken note of reports of a Muslim student at the Wesley Girls’ High School, Cape Coast, who was allegedly prevented from fasting in the ongoing Ramadan which is being observed by Muslims.
The attention of the Council has also been drawn to statements which have been issued by the Ghana Education Service (GES), some CSOs and the Methodist Church Ghana in regard of the same issue.
The National Peace Council applauds the dialogue between some Muslim leaders and the Methodist Church Ghana, as well as the efforts of GES and other religious bodies, towards the amicable and peaceful resolution of this matter.
The National Peace Council is taking appropriate steps to reinforce these commendable initiatives.
In view of these developments, the National Peace Council calls on all Ghanaians, particularly, those who have been affected in any way by the events at the Wesley Girls’ High School, to exercise the greatest restraint and circumspection in their comments and pronouncements on the matter.
Meanwhile, the Council respectfully reminds Ghanaians of how far we have come as a people by living together for centuries.
The Council appeals to the leadership of the Christian and Muslim communities to urge their followers to remain calm as efforts to build on the time-tested peaceful co-existence among Christians and Muslims are made by the relevant authorities and organizations.
The Council concludes by wishing all Muslims the blessings of God as they continue to observe Ramadan!
