AG justifies Wesley Girls' religious policies in response to Supreme Court suit

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Ayine, has filed a formal response to a Supreme Court suit challenging what plaintiffs describe as discriminatory religious policies at Wesley Girls’ Senior High School.

In his response, the Attorney General dismissed claims that the school is acting unlawfully, insisting that Wesley Girls’ SH founded and operated by the Methodist Church of Ghana is permitted to enforce rules consistent with its Methodist principles.

According to a report by adomonline.com on November 24, 2025, he argued that the school’s faith-based identity grants it the authority to establish standards on religious conduct within the school environment, even where such standards limit the expression of other religious practices.

Lawyer sues Wesley Girls’ SHS for allegedly denying Muslim students right to practise their religion

The suit was filed on December 24, 2024, by private legal practitioner Shafic Osman under the Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction, invoking Articles 2(1)(b) and 130(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution.

It centres on allegations that Muslim students are barred from wearing the hijab, fasting during Ramadan, and observing other Islamic rites actions the plaintiff says violate constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion.

The plaintiff is seeking multiple declarations, including a ruling that the school’s policy of compelling students to practise a compulsory school religion in a public institution contravenes Articles 21(1)(b)(c) and 26 of the 1992 Constitution.

COMOG backs suits against Wesley Girls’ Senior High School

He further contends that the restrictions conflict with international human rights standards recognised under Article 33(5).

In addition to the declarations, the plaintiff wants the court to direct the Ghana Education Service to develop constitutional guidelines to regulate religious practices across all public schools.

MRA/MA

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