Regional Chief Imams raise issues against conduct of Bishops, Christian Council

The Conference of Regional Chief Imams of Ghana which comprises all the sixteen Regional Chief Imams finds it disturbing and worrying the manner in which the Christian Council of Ghana and the Catholic Bishops Conference waded into the issue of not allowing Muslim students of Wesley Girls Senior High School to fast.

According to the Conference, their action is muddling the waters and aggravating the problem especially when the National Chief Imam, Sheick Dr Osman Hunu Sharubutu calls for calm and appealed for dialogue and consensus-building to resolve the impasse.

The Christian Council of Ghana and the Catholic Bishops Conference, instead of backing the call by the National Chief Imam to use dialogue and consensus-building to peacefully resolve the impasse decided to issue a communique in support of Wesley Girls Senior High School and the Methodist Church not to allow Muslim students to fast when the Ghana Education Service directed that the students should be allowed to fast.

This position taken by the Christian Council and the Catholic Bishops Conference according to the Imams does not only seek to embolden the position of the Wesley Girls Senior High School and the Methodist Church but also undermines the authority of the Ghana Education Service which is detrimental to the development of education in Ghana.

Speaking to the media during the celebration of this year’s Eid, the Executive Secretary of the office of the Ashanti Regional Chief Imam, Imam_ Ustaz Ahmed Seidu, said the action of the Christian Council and the Catholic Bishops Conference is in bad faith as far as the good Christian _ Muslim relatio as is concerned that has existed over the years.

The Conference of the Regional Chief Imams also describes it as unfair for the General Secretary of the Christian Council, Rev. Dr. Cyril Fayose to call on the spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, Imam Sheick Aremeyaw Shiabu to withdraw and apologize for the said comment when they could not call on the Vice _ Chairman of the Scripture Union, Dr Samuel Ofori Onwona to withdraw the unpleasant divisive statement against Muslims.

According to Imam Seidu, that apart it is being argued in some cycles that Muslims should go to Islamic schools and leave Christian schools for Christians that will be affront in building integrated society for development.

"It will create a problem of segregation which will undermine peaceful coexistence,” he said.

He called on the Muslims to adhere to the call by his Eminence the National Chief Imam to be calmed and proof to the world that Islam is indeed a peaceful and tolerant religion and never should Muslims to anything untoward to disturb the peace of this country irrespective of the circumstances they find themselves.