Don’t Turn Faith Differences Into Conflict — Peace Council

The National Peace Council has called on Ghanaians to protect the country’s religious diversity and prevent differences in faith from becoming a trigger for conflict, urging greater reliance on dialogue, tolerance and lawful mechanisms for resolving disputes. The Executive Secretary of the National Peace Council, George Amoh, made the call on August 14, 2026, when he represented the Chairman of the Council at an engagement between the Inspector-General of Police and religious leaders at the Police Headquarters in Accra.

The engagement followed recent incidents that heightened concerns over religious tensions and underscored the need for stronger collaboration between the security services and religious leaders to safeguard Ghana’s peace. Mr Amoh commended the Ghana Police Service for its swift intervention in dealing with the recent developments, describing the response as evidence of the importance of state institutions having the capacity to contain potentially volatile situations before they escalate into wider conflict.

He, however, cautioned against assuming that the recent incidents represented the final test to Ghana’s peace and stability. He noted that disagreements, tensions and acts of deviance were inevitable in every developing society, but stressed that what mattered was the existence of effective systems capable of managing such situations whenever they arose.

Mr Amoh maintained that provocative or violent behaviour must not be met with further violence, insisting that disputes should instead be addressed through dialogue and lawful processes. “Violence cannot be used to respond to violent conduct,” he declared. He urged citizens and stakeholders to resist actions that could deepen divisions and instead use established institutions and peaceful channels to resolve grievances.

The Executive Secretary said Ghana’s ability to bring together people from different religious, linguistic and cultural backgrounds was one of the country’s major strengths. He said the diversity was reflected in Ghana’s constitutional framework and democratic institutions and should be protected as a foundation for national unity rather than exploited as a source of division.

Mr Amoh particularly urged Christians and Muslims to recognize that although they might differ in their religious beliefs and practices, they shared a common national identity and a collective responsibility to protect the peace and stability of Ghana. He said the responsibility for maintaining peace could not be left solely to the security services. Rather, it required sustained cooperation among the Police, religious authorities, state institutions, traditional and community leaders and the greater citizen population.

He called for continued engagement among the various stakeholders to build trust, address grievances early and prevent isolated incidents from developing into broader religious or social tensions. Mr Amoh stressed that Ghana’s peace had been built on the ability of its people to coexist despite their differences and urged all stakeholders to preserve that tradition by promoting tolerance, restraint and constructive dialogue. He said the country’s religious diversity should remain a source of strength and social cohesion, warning against attempts to exploit differences in faith to destabilize the nation.

The Peace Council’s position comes amid renewed calls for vigilance among religious and security authorities following recent incidents that have raised concerns about tensions between sections of the population on religious grounds. The Council maintained that early intervention, responsible leadership and respect for lawful processes remained critical to preventing disagreements from escalating into further violence. It urged Ghanaians to recognize peace as a shared national responsibility and to ensure that religious, cultural and social differences did not override the common interest of protecting Ghana’s stability.

By: Joyce Owusu