Supreme Court admits Catholic and Presbyterian bodies in Wesley Girls' hijab case
via GhanaWeb2 min read
The Supreme Court has admitted the National Catholic Secretariat and the Registered Trustees of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana as parties in a case challenging alleged discrimination against Muslim female students at Wesley Girls’ High School. A five-member panel, presided over by Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang, granted applications for the two religious bodies to join as the fifth and sixth defendants. The suit was filed by private legal practitioner Shafuc Kwabena Osman, seeking constitutional remedies over what he describes as discriminatory religious practices, including restrictions on wearing the hijab, observing Ramadan, and practicing aspects of their faith. The Attorney-General, representing the Ministry of Education, argues that Wesley Girls, established under the Methodist Church Ghana, is entitled to maintain rules consistent with its religious traditions. The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has also filed an amicus curiae brief to assist the court in determining constitutional issues related to the governance of mission schools and their ability to preserve religious identity within Ghana’s public education system. The case is expected to set a precedent on the relationship between religious freedom and the administration of mission schools in Ghana.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by GhanaWeb.
The Staff Union of the Electoral Commission EC has petitioned the Chairperson of the Commission, calling for governance and administrative reforms to enhance transparency, accountability, and institutional efficiency. Authored by Richard Agorkor, Chairman of the Electoral Commission Staff Union, the petition recommends suspending the ongoing recruitment process for the Director of Finance until it is approved at a duly constituted meeting. It also seeks to halt the proposed auction of the Commission’s vehicles and operational assets until a comprehensive replacement plan and needs assessment are approved. The union urged the Chairperson to convene regular Commission meetings and restore collective decision-making in administrative, procurement, finance, and human resource matters. Other proposals include decentralizing administrative authority to empower Deputy Chairpersons and investing in internal capacity by prioritizing permanent staff over external consultants. The union also called for a healthier working relationship between management and staff and reaffirmed commitment to transparency, accountability, fairness, collective responsibility, and good corporate governance. These recommendations address concerns about decision-making processes, recruitment, asset management, and institutional administration, aiming to preserve the EC's independence, credibility, and institutional integrity. Richard Agorkor confirmed signing and presenting the petition to management.
The Inspector-General of Police Special Operations Team, in collaboration with the Ashanti Regional Police Command, arrested 44 individuals in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, during operations conducted from July 3 to 5, 2026. The intelligence-led operations targeted criminal hotspots and resulted in the arrest of 41 males and 3 females for various narcotics-related offenses. A key outcome was the dismantling of an alleged drug distribution network suspected of producing and selling narcotic-infused products to university students. Among those arrested are Emmanuel Duah, 24, for allegedly producing and selling cannabis-laced toffees online, Richard Boateng, 45, for allegedly producing cannabis-infused alcoholic beverages, and Frederick Agyei, a suspected principal supplier of cannabis to university students. Police seized 200 sachets of 225mg Tramadol, quantities of 250mg Tramadol, 400 sealed wraps of suspected narcotics, locally prepared fruit juice suspected to contain narcotics, and a refrigerator with suspected narcotic concoctions. Other items included Rizla rolling papers and 9 casino jackpot machines. All exhibits are undergoing forensic examination, and the suspects are assisting with investigations. The Ghana Police Service is pursuing additional suspects and has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting schools and communities from illicit drug trafficking, urging public cooperation.
IMANI Africa President Franklin Cudjoe commented on the death sentence given to former Chinese official Yang Youlin for corruption, contrasting it with how similar cases are handled in Ghana. Cudjoe suggested that in Ghana, individuals accused of corruption might negotiate their escape or receive lenient treatment, while in China, such offenses lead to severe penalties. His remarks followed reports of Yang Youlin, a 69-year-old former local government official from Nanjing, being sentenced to death by the Changzhou Intermediate People’s Court in Jiangsu Province for a corruption scheme that operated between 1993 and 2023.