Wesley Girls fasting saga: Peace Council calls for calm as it engages stakeholders

The National Peace Council (NPC) has begun a series of engagements with all parties involved in the issue of Wesley Girls’ High School preventing a Muslim student from observing Ramadan fast.

A statement issued and signed by its Chairman, Rev Dr. Ernest Adu Gyamfi on Tuesday, 11 May 2021, indicated that “On Monday, May 10, 2021, the NPC met with the leadership of the Methodist Church, Ghana, the Old Girls’ Association (OGA) and the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) of the school to get the facts as it happened at the Wesley Girls’ High School and to clarify the statements, they have each issued.

“Besides, the Central Regional Peace Council has also met with the Authorities of the Wesley Girls’ Senior High School on Monday, May 10, 2021, to hear exactly what took place regarding the student who was allegedly denied her practice to fast in the on-going Ramadan”.

The NPC further noted that it will continue to engage other key stakeholders including the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service, the parents of the concerned child and the leadership of the Muslim group to which the student and her parents belong.

“This, we hope will give the National Peace Council the full facts about the issue to enable it to facilitate the necessary intervention strategies,” the statement said.

The statement also reiterated its earlier call on all the affected persons and organizations “to remain calm and commit to the age-old peaceful coexistence among all the different religious groupings in the country”.

“Additionally, the Council appeals to the media to be extremely circumspect in their reportage, as any unguarded statement can detract from the peace of the country,” the statement added.