President John Dramani Mahama has issued a firm caution against allowing isolated disputes between religious figures to erode Ghana’s enduring reputation for interfaith harmony, describing recent altercations involving a pastor and an imam as profoundly regrettable.
Speaking at the opening of the 32nd Biennial General Council Meeting of the Assemblies of God, Ghana, at Gomoa Fetteh, the President framed the incidents as a test of national character. He observed that while the Constitution guarantees freedom of worship and expression, those liberties do not extend to denigration of other beliefs, incitement to violence, or recourse to vigilantism.
According to Citinewsroom news report, President Mahama told congregants that “religious conviction must never become religious provocation,” and that disagreements rooted in doctrine should never metastasize into hatred or physical assault. He asserted that no one honors the divine by threatening a fellow citizen, and that faith communities bear a collective responsibility to model restraint, particularly in sermons and on digital platforms where rhetoric can escalate rapidly.
The President contextualized the warning within Ghana’s historical fabric, noting that Christians, Muslims and adherents of traditional faiths have for generations cohabited families, schools, workplaces and security institutions without fracturing the social compact. He characterized this coexistence as a strategic national asset that underpins stability and investor confidence, and therefore warrants deliberate protection. To that end, he indicated that the National Chief Imam and other senior clerics would facilitate reconciliation regarding the specific individuals involved, while insisting that due legal process proceed without interference.
Beyond crisis management, Mahama urged religious institutions to translate doctrine into civic action by serving vulnerable populations and advancing development. He challenged the Assemblies of God and similar bodies to embed tolerance in youth formation, teaching that diversity is not a liability but a reservoir of social capital when governed by mutual respect.
As Ghana navigates a period of heightened public discourse, the President’s intervention signals an expectation that spiritual leadership will prioritize national cohesion over sectarian brinkmanship. The onus now rests on both pulpit and platform to ensure that conviction is articulated without contempt.
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Author: Korkor Anumu
