Catholic Bishops File Affidavit in Wesley Girls Religious Rights Case
Conference backs Supreme Court brief, stresses religious tolerance in schools
- The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has filed an affidavit at the Supreme Court to support an amicus curiae brief
- The lawsuit claims Muslim students are compelled to join Christian activities
- The Bishops say their input is based on a 2024 MoU promoting religious coexistence and aims to guide the court, not back any side
The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court in support of an amicus curiae brief in an ongoing legal battle over religious rights in public schools.
The case stems from a lawsuit filed by lawyer Shafic Osman, who is challenging policies at Wesley Girls’ High School. He claims Muslim students are required to take part in Christian religious activities while being limited in practising their own faith.
According to the suit, these actions breach provisions of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, particularly those safeguarding freedom of religion, belief, and conscience.
President of the Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi,said that their submission is based on a Memorandum of Understanding on religious tolerance in schools.
The agreement, adopted in April 2024 by both mission-based and private institutions, aims to encourage respect for diverse religious practices.
He clarified that the Conference’s intervention is not to support either side but to provide the court with broader insight into religious coexistence in educational settings.
The case has revived nationwide debate on religious freedom in schools, highlighting tensions between long-standing institutional traditions and students’ constitutional rights to practise their faith.
