A group of Muslim Members of Parliament met with the leadership of the Methodist Church with the view to thrashing out a Wesley Girls Senior High School regulation that barred Muslim students from undertaking their religious obligation of fasting.

The delegation was led by Mohammed-Mubarak Muntaka, Minority Chief Whip and MP for Asawase along with a bipartisan mix of colleagues, representatives from national Muslim groups and other key stakeholders in the Muslim community.

A statement of April 29 and signed by Muntaka read in part: "The Methodist team was led by their national leader Presiding Bishop Dr Boafo.

"After a very frank but cordial discussion on the issues, the Church assured us that the matter will be resolved within the next few days inshaa Allah. His Eminence the Presiding Bishop assured us that the board of the school of which he is the Chairman will be meeting within the next few days to discuss the issue and get an amicable resolution to the problem."

Background to the issue An aggrieved parent recently stormed the school with the view to withdrawing his child over the school's refusal to allow her to undertake the Ramadan fast.

The school authorities explained to Mr Ishmael Zakaria Alhassan that the general rule was that irrespective of religious persuasion, fasting was not allowed because of health considerations, i.e. to prevent the risk of students developing ulcers.

The episode rekindled the issue of the rights of Muslim students especially in public mission schools where some are reportedly not allowed to pray and more prominently, female students are not allowed to wear their veils.

PRESS RELEASE ON THE WESLEY GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL MUSLIM STUDENTS FASTING CRISIS

The Muslim Caucus in Parliament wishes to inform the Muslim Ummah and the good people of Ghana that, a delegation from the Muslim community met with the leadership of the Methodist Church to discuss the Wesley Girls Muslim students fasting issue with the objective of resolving the problem amicably.

The Muslim delegation was led by Hon. Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, MP for Asawase and Minority Chief Whip of Parliament of Ghana.

Muslim delegation was made up of bi-partisan Muslim MPs, representatives from office of National Chief Imam, Ahlus Sunnah Waljamaa, The Executive Director of Baraka Policy Institute (BPI) Dr Haruna Zagoon-Sayeed, Imam Hussein Abdur-Rahim Hussein of Ghana Police Service and Secretary to the Muslim Caucus in Parliament.

The MPs involved are Hon. Muntaka, Hon. Collins Dauda, Hon Tampuli, Hon. Habib, Hon. Dr Amin Adam Anta and Hon. Murtala. The Methodist team was led by their national leader Presiding Bishop Dr Boafo.

After a very frank but cordial discussion on the issues, the Church assured us that the matter will be resolved within the next few days in shaa Allah.

His Eminence the Presiding Bishop assured us that the board of the school of which he is the Chairman will be meeting within the next few days to discuss the issue and get amicable resolution to the problem. The church will revert to the team on the specific decision taken at the meeting regarding the resolution of the issue at stake.

The Muslim Caucus in Parliament wishes to ask all Muslims to exercise self-restraint, as we are taught in the Month of Ramadan, on the matter to allow the able leadership of the Methodist Church to deal with case in consultation with relevant stakeholders including Muslim leadership and parents.

We would like to thank the leadership of the Methodist Church led by the Presiding Bishop for the warm reception accorded us and the assurances given to us that the issue will be resolved amicably to reflect the usual inclusiveness of Methodist education in Ghana.

God bless us and God bless our homeland Ghana.

Hon. Mohammed Muntata Mubarak (MP)
FOR: Muslim Caucus in Parliament