Presidential Envoy in charge of Interfaith and Ecumenical Bodies, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has called for stronger sanctions against individuals whose actions could undermine religious harmony and create tension in Ghana.
He commended the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) for the swift arrest of persons connected to the recent incident involving a pastor but said suspects in such cases should be kept in custody for at least 48 hours as a deterrent to others.
Mr Afriyie Ankrah made the remarks during a meeting with religious leaders at the Police Headquarters.
He argued that apologies alone should not be considered an adequate response to incidents capable of threatening peaceful relations between Ghana’s religious communities.
He noted that although the Muslim man who slapped the pastor had apologised and the pastor had also expressed regret over the incident, appropriate sanctions were still necessary to discourage similar behaviour.
According to him, imposing proportionate consequences would reinforce the message that acts capable of inflaming religious tensions would not be tolerated.
Mr Afriyie Ankrah further called on the Police to handle cases involving religious issues fairly and without discrimination or political influence.
He stressed that law enforcement must apply the law equally to all parties, irrespective of their religious beliefs or political affiliations.
He said protecting Ghana’s longstanding religious harmony required a balanced approach that combines fairness with firm action against conduct that could spark tension or conflict among religious groups.
