WeyGeyHey Religious Impasse: Hon. Nana Ayew Calls For Dialogue To Resolve The Matter
Member of Parliament for Effiduase Asokore, Hon Dr. Nana Afriyie Ayew, has strongly recommended dialogue as the only way to amicably settle the impasse between Wesley Girls Senior High School (WEYGEYHEY) in Cape Coast and a section of the country’s Muslim community.
According to him Hon Nana Afriyie Ayew who was a panel member on an early morning political discussion programme on Wontumi TV/Radio in Kumasi, on Friday, what could pose the biggest threat to settling the matter amicably would be for the Ghana Education Service (GES) to impose its decisions and will without engaging the major stake holders through dialogue.
“Bringing finality to the issue will elude us if we apply a knee jerk reaction as a method which in the long run will not be in anybody’s interest.” The vocal MP emphasized.
The WEYGEYHEY impasse was sparked by misunderstanding over whether the authorities of one of Ghana’s oldest female Senior High Schools acted appropriately in issuing strict instructions to Muslims among its student body not to partake in the month- long Muslim fast which ended on Thursday.
Both the President Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharabutu individually, made the impasse the central theme of their admonition to Ghanaians both Muslim and Christians in their Eid-Ul-Fitr goodwill messages on Thursday.
The President for instance noted that “schools are the first place for people to socialize and learn more about each other’s religious beliefs, dance, languages and food and called for cool heads to prevail.”
For his part the Chief Imam, speaking through an aide said “peace is always his first option.”
Hon Nana Ayew Afriyie suggested that every process along the way in resolving the impasse should take into critical consideration the interest of the major stake holders namely, the Methodist Church of Ghana, the Board of Governors as well as the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) of the School because of their unique position especially , when it comes to what is of the best interest of the school.
“I don’t believe in any knee jerk re action by the GES that will amount to having its way when there are agitations,” he said.
According to Hon Nana Afriyie Ayew, Ghana has over the years endured an atmosphere of religious tolerance whose striking feature is when the national Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhn Sharabutu made an historic visit to a church premises to fellowship with a strictly a Christian congregation.
“This mutual co-existence and religious tolerance climaxed by the Chief Imam’s stepping foot on a church floor should continue to dictate the pace of the building of our great nation. The diversity or our differences based on faith should not tear us apart as a nation but continue to unite us as one people. “ He stated.
The Effiduase Asokore MP stretched the argument further by tracing the peaceful co-existence among Ghanaian to the old boarding school system which till this day continues to creat space for all children to mingle and study, play and eat together to mirror the country’s unity.
“What is happening in the schools,” he continued , “is a reminder that it has become pertinent for a second look to be taken at some decisions, rules and regulations in the schools to be reviewed. “