Legal framework on freedom of religion and actual application
Regarding the respect of fundamental human rights as well as economic and policy development, the Republic of Ghana has one of the best records in West Africa.
Under Article 12 (2) of its Constitution, “Every person in Ghana, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinion, colour, religion, creed or gender shall be entitled to the fundamental human rights and freedoms of the individual”. Article 21 (1, c) recognises “freedom to practice any religion and to manifest such practice”.
Religious groups must register with the government. Although registration exempts them from some taxes, including taxes on private schools and universities, most do not register. Failure to register is not penalised.
Religious instruction in public schools is mandatory and pupils cannot opt out. Elements of both Christianity and Islam are included in the school program. Islamic education is coordinated by a special unit in the Education Ministry. Faith-based private schools are allowed, but they must follow the Ministry’s program, except for international schools.
More than two thirds of the country’s population is Christian with Muslims – mostly Sunni –making up a comparatively smaller proportion. Islamic extremism is rare in Ghana.
In West Africa, Ghana has long been regarded as an example of peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims. President Nana Akufo-Addo, a Christian, and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, a Muslim, have repeatedly emphasised in their public statements the importance of peaceful relations between religious groups.
Incidents and developments
Ghana has long been a country of stability in West Africa where other countries, notably bordering nations such as Burkina Faso, Togo and Ivory Coast have come under increasing threat with the descent of terrorist groups from the Sahel towards Coastal States.
According to the West Africa Centre for Counter-Terrorism (WACCE), “more than 53%” of all Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) “are experiencing insurgencies” and “the pervasive spill over phenomenon makes Ghana’s border regions a key area of concern”. Anti-terrorism experts note that the areas between Ghana and “the Cascades region of Burkina Faso and northern Côte d'Ivoire are extremely permeable” and 2021 witnessed the establishment of numerous katibas (battalions) from the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM) and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (IGS) in the Cascades.
With Islam the dominant religion in the country’s northern regions, the authorities raised the alarm to the growth of jihadist activity and possible spill over. Ghana’s security services conducted “more than 40 terror-related arrests, with intelligence regularly shared with regional partners on planned or potential attacks in the country” over the past five years.
With international terrorist groups known to manipulate internal tensions, authorities expressed concern that that fights over clan succession and high unemployment in the country could present opportunities to be exploited. Since 2015, at least 13 Ghanaians have reportedly been recruited by extremist groups abroad; the militant who detonated a bomb against France’s Barkhane force in Mali was from a northern town in Ghana.
Recruitment is ongoing. It is estimated that “200 to 300 young people have been integrated into the various GSIM-JNIM and EIGS katibas. After undergoing training in training camps in the Sahel, these young recruits were sent back to their villages of origin, in particular to engage in religious proselytizing”. With nearly 40 percent of Ghana’s poor living in the north and easy access to illegal resources such as “cattle rustling and clandestine gold panning”, these areas are already plagued by a high level of banditry and the temptation to join is strong.
Extremist groups may also have a certain appeal among young Muslims, many of whom claim that they are “often demonised as potential terrorists”, and Muslim women are criticised for their dress. Many complain that they are often prevented from praying in schools and in workplaces and that they feel that their religion is often associated with violence. Young Muslims also assert that they have a sense of “otherness”, not only in relation to the Christian community, but also within the wider Muslim community.
On 12 April 2021, Archbishop Philip Naameh Tamale, President of the Ghanaian Bishops’ Conference (GCBC), in response to the arrest of two teenage boys for the alleged ritual killing of a 10-year-old called the pseudo magical practices “a threat to national security”.
On 11 August 2021, a “Joint Declaration of Religious Leaders Against Modern Slavery”, initiated by the “Global Freedom Network” of the human rights organization “Walk Free” was signed by 14 religious representatives from four African countries including Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria and Ivory Coast. According to Agenzia Fides, it is “the eighth declaration of its kind since 2014, when Pope Francis and Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi, together with other leaders of many major world religions, jointly declared that modern slavery must be eradicated”. Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, spokesman for the National Chief Imam of Ghana, said all religions have condemned these crimes.
In May 2022, the Minister for National Security Albert Kan-Dapaah called for stronger security measures, stating that terrorists who operate in the region seem to “have Ghana as a target”. President Akufo-Addo warned that the countries in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also face a terrorist threat.
The High Court of Ghana ruled in favour of a Rastafarian student who was excluded from the admission process in the school he wanted to attend. The Court’s decision did not express an opinion as to whether Rastafarianism is a religion or not, but reiterated the principle that each Ghanaian has the constitutional right to manifest his or her religion.
In May 2022, during the Eid-al Fitr celebration, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia said that relations between Muslims and Christians in Ghana are good and are based on respect. This was the first time the Muslim community could gather in large numbers after COVID-19 restrictions were put in place in 2020. The vice president also acknowledged the role of religious organisations in the country’s development.
On 23 March 2022, Archbishop Philip Naameh Tamale praised the role of every ethnic group in the country in developing its culture and national spirit. He also called for unity and for religious leaders to collaborate to improve interreligious coexistence. During Easter 2022, the GCBC called for peace, rejecting acts of war and conflict.
An example of good coexistence was the national dialogue held between Muslim and Catholic leaders in Accra in May 2022. The event was organised by the GCBC in cooperation with the Office of the National Chief Imam, with the aim of deepening relations between the two communities.
On 30 July 2022, UN Senior Mediation Adviser, Emmanuel Habuka Bombande, in a presentation titled, The Challenges of Terrorism and Insurgency in Africa, urged Catholic Bishops to “promote social justice and inclusion of all”, which drew international attention to “the challenges of terrorism and insurgency in Africa.”
On 7 October, president of the GCBC, Archbishop Philip Naamah, observed that the increasing violence in the Sahel is linked “to increased extremism, weak national institutions and diminishing national resources.” The Archbishop added that “Poverty and rising inequalities have fostered a culture of hopelessness” and this has “contributed to the recruitment of many of the youth into violent activities, putting the countries in the Sahel at risk of external attacks.” He concluded stating that, “There is an urgent need for African governments to distribute development fairly among all groups to avoid widespread perception of discrimination and exclusion among the citizens, to strengthen the peace and social cohesion.”
On 3 November 2022, the GCBC backed two bills before the Ghanaian Parliament amending the Criminal Offences Act of 1960 (Article 29) and the Armed Forces Act of 1962 (Article 105) concerning the replacement of the death sentence with life imprisonment.
On 11 November 2022, in an effort to draw attention to the continuing needs of the country, the GCBC published a six page collective statement outlining various challenges including the “socio-economic challenges, the bane of partisan politics in Ghana, bribery and corruption, illegal mining (galamsey), and the protracted Bawku Conflict”. After the last statement in November 2021, the bishops found it “regrettable that after a year the situation has worsened”.
On 21 November 2022, the Catholic Bishop of Jasikan appealed to traditional leaders in the Oti and Volta regions to take “a determined and uncompromising stance” against the mining of iron ore and other minerals. Bishop Gabriel Akwasi Abiabo Mante stated that although mining creates employment opportunities, “the obvious reality we know is that the quality of life of the people has been reduced due to denial of access to farm lands, leading to hunger and its related challenges.”
In a statement on 1 December 2022, the GCBC expressed concern to the downward trajectory in the number of Catholics “from 15.1% in the 2000 census, to 13.1% in the 2010 census and further declined to 10% in the 2021 census.” The bishops stated, “if the trend of decline continues at the present rate of 3.1% per decade, we may end up losing grounds totally by the year 2060”.
Prospects for freedom of religion
Although religious freedom is legally recognised, respected and lived, the enjoyment of this right and peaceful coexistence are under threat due to a growing insecurity in the north, notably the risk of jihadist activity spill over from neighbouring countries. The future of religious freedom in Ghana is positive though should be kept under observation.
Ghana