Ghana’s National Chief Imam, Sheikh Usman Nuhu Shaributu, has asked the police to invite for questioning any Muslim cleric who flouts the President’s directive on religious services including mosque congregation.

It follows reports that some Imams in the country observed Friday Prayers last week in disregard to the ban on all public gathering announced by the President as part of measures to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.

Reacting to the development on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM on Thursday, 25 March 2020, Sheikh Arimiyaw Shaibu, spokesperson for the Chief Imam, urged the police to interrogate the Imams who flouted the ban.

He said: “With the issue of disregard for authority, those who are supposed to be enforcing laws or directives need to move in and perform their duties. For example, if there is any security institution, that is the police, they should be able to invite the Imams for questioning about [their] refusal to comply with the directives of the President and that of the National Chief Imam.”

Sheikh Shaibu said the Chief Imam’s attention has been drawn to the fact that some Imams have flouted his directive and, therefore, “We have advised those in the area to draw the attention of the police and the chiefs in the community to call such imams for questioning.”

Sheikh Shaibu said moving forward, the office of the Chief Imam will team up with the police to ensure strict compliance to the directive.