Gov’t Sued Over Religious Discrimination

The Supreme Court is set to hear a landmark case asking for a perpetual injunction restraining anybody or institution from condoning or forcing students of other faiths to participate in sectional religious activities.

A citizen Gershon Nii Lamptey wants the highest court of the land to determine whether Muslim students should be forced to attend Christian services in Mission schools.

The suit which is requesting for 13 reliefs is the latest as claims of religious discrimination against Muslims in mission schools grab national attention.

Lamptey in his writ said it is “unreasonable, illegitimate and/or unlawful for students attending missions schools falling under the aegis of the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education to be compelled under the guise of promoting school discipline to participate in religious activities endorsed and promoted by these mission schools when such students do not share the faiths proclaimed or promoted by these mission schools.”

Nii Lamptey also wants more state resources to be devoted to minority religious schools as Christian mission schools receive from the government.

However, Muslim groups in the country have expressed fears about the “uncompromising” pronouncements made by some Christian groups concerning the raging debate over religious rights in schools and workplaces, particularly as regards Muslims in mission schools.