Incite violence, face the law - Interior Minister warns

Ghana's government will firmly prosecute anyone whose statements incite violence and threaten the nation's security, Interior Minister Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak declared. He issued this assurance during a Sunday meeting in Accra with the Governing Body of the National Muslim Conference of Ghana.

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The government has pledged to deal firmly with individuals or groups whose comments incite violence and threaten the country’s peace and security.

The engagement focused on developing sustainable strategies to counter inflammatory remarks by certain individuals that risk igniting religious violence and destabilizing national peace. Minister Mohammed-Mubarak stressed that the law would be applied impartially, stating that transgressors would face its full force irrespective of their faith.

He underscored that criminal acts would be treated as such, ensuring equal justice for offenders whether Muslim, Christian, or of any other belief. The minister also commended the National Chief Imam and the Muslim community for their mature handling of a recent controversy involving remarks by a cleric and an apostle. He highlighted the critical importance of preserving Ghana's peace, particularly as four of the ten countries most impacted by terrorism are located in the West African sub-region.

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He said crime would be treated as crime, adding that whether the offender was Muslim, Christian or of any other faith, justice would be applied equally.

Alhaji Baba Mohammed Inusah, General Secretary of the National Muslim Conference of Ghana, praised the minister's dedication to peacebuilding. He urged attendees to concentrate on lasting solutions to inflammatory speech from religious leaders, rather than revisiting past disputes. Inusah framed the meeting as a platform for dialogue and mutual respect to advance Ghana's growth and development.

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He noted that preserving Ghana’s peace was even more critical at a time when four of the 10 countries most affected by terrorism were located within the West African sub-region.

The meeting included Inspector-General of Police Mr Christian Tetteh Yohuno, members of the Police Management Board, ministerial advisors, Chairman of the National Peace Council Most Reverend Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, and National Chief Imam Sheikh Osman Nuru Sharubutu.

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He urged participants to focus on finding enduring solutions to inflammatory comments by religious leaders rather than dwelling on past disagreements.