The Director of Legal Affairs of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Godwin Tameklo, has added his voice to growing calls for Muslim students in mission schools to be allowed to freely manifest their religious beliefs.

Speaking on the matter, Mr. Tameklo argued that providing reasonable space for religious expression should not be difficult in a school environment.

Citing an example, he noted that in a school of about 2,000 students, allowing the roughly 100 Muslim students a place to break their fast or pray should be possible “without animosity.”

He questioned why simple expressions of faith—such as wearing a headscarf or hijab—should pose a challenge in institutions that are expected to promote tolerance and unity.

According to him, small compromises can go a long way in fostering peaceful coexistence and mutual respect in Ghana’s educational system.

He emphasised that embracing religious diversity is key to strengthening national harmony and nurturing a culture of inclusion among young people.

Meanwhile, the Patriotic Muslim Front (PMF) and the LeadGate Foundation have sharply criticised the Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, over his official Statement of Case filed at the Supreme Court in the matter of Shafic Osman v. The Board of Governors of Wesley Girls SHS, the Ghana Education Service & the Attorney-General.

In a strongly worded joint statement, the two organisations expressed “profound disappointment and utter dismay” at the Deputy Attorney-General’s legal position, which calls for the dismissal of a suit seeking constitutional protection for Muslim students at Wesley Girls’ Senior High School.

The plaintiffs are asking the Supreme Court to declare unconstitutional a school policy that restricts Muslim students from observing key religious obligations.

The groups described the Attorney-General’s submission as “a shocking abdication” of the state’s constitutional duty to guarantee religious freedom for all citizens.

The suit, filed by Shafic Osman, challenges longstanding school policies at Wesley Girls’ SHS, which allegedly prevent Muslim students from performing Salat (daily prayers), attending Jummah (Friday congregational prayers), fasting during Ramadan, wearing religious attire, or celebrating Islamic festivals.

According to the PMF and LeadGate Foundation, students are reportedly compelled to participate in Methodist worship services, in violation of their religious rights.

Osman is invoking the Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction to seek a declaration that such restrictions amount to religious discrimination and violate multiple provisions of the 1992 Constitution.

PMF and LeadGate Foundation said they were appalled that the Deputy Attorney-General chose to oppose the suit rather than defend the rights of the affected students.

They outlined four main concerns:

Mischaracterisation of Wesley Girls’ SHS as a Private Institution
The organisations argue that the Deputy Attorney-General’s claim that the school is not a public institution is “a legal fiction”. They maintain that the school is funded primarily by taxpayers, staffed by state-paid teachers and governed by public education regulations—criteria that, in their view, clearly define it as a public institution.

Selective Interpretation of Constitutional Rights
They accuse the Deputy A-G of applying constitutional protections inconsistently, saying he “weaponised” Article 21(1)(c) to protect institutional Methodist practices while denying Muslim students their individual religious freedoms.

Abdication of the State’s Constitutional Duty
The statement criticises the A-G’s position as one that endorses religious discrimination contrary to Article 17(2) of the Constitution, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion.

Risk of a Dangerous National Precedent
The groups warn that accepting the A-G’s argument could empower other state-assisted mission schools to curtail the rights of minority religious groups, creating what they describe as “a two-tiered system of citizenship” for students.

PMF and LeadGate Foundation are calling on the Attorney-General to withdraw what they describe as a “prejudiced” submission and to file a revised Statement of Case that respects constitutional guarantees.

They also appealed to religious leaders, civil society organisations and human rights advocates to join in condemning what they view as a threat to Ghana’s secular democracy.

“The soul of our nation’s democracy is at stake,” the statement concluded, urging Ghanaians to support efforts to uphold religious freedom for all students.

The statement was signed by Alhaj Mohammed Haruna and Sheikh Iddrisu Abdullai Alhassan on behalf of the Patriotic Muslim Front and the LeadGate Foundation