The 19th Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, has urged Ghanaians to remain committed to religious tolerance and mutual respect as national debate intensifies over the Wesley Girls High School religious-practice saga.
He made the remarks during the 87th Speech and Prize Giving Day of Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School (PRESEC) on November 29, 2025, where outstanding staff and students were honoured.
Addressing the gathering, Rt. Rev. Dr. Opare Kwakye said Ghana has long been a model of interfaith harmony, and the current tensions risk undermining that legacy.
“In Ghana, Christians and Muslims have lived together harmoniously for decades,” he stressed. “Muslims do not mind going to church, and Christians do not mind visiting Muslims. Even the National Chief Imam visited the Catholic Church during the celebration of his 100th birthday.”
He recounted his own experiences fostering interfaith unity. “When I served as Chairperson of the Ga Presbytery, we visited the Chief Imam every year during Ramadan, and the Muslim community also paid reciprocal visits,” he said. “These acts of mutual respect have kept peace in our communities and in our schools.”
The Moderator emphasized that mission schools were established by faith-based institutions to uphold specific values, and historically, students from other religious backgrounds have respected those foundations.
Quoting lines from the PRESEC anthem, he noted that the Christian training offered in such schools forms part of their identity and ethos.
He warned that recent public commentary has been inflamed by “a few people who have chosen to stir emotions and create unnecessary problems,” adding that some responses “do not promote national peace.”
Rt. Rev. Dr. Opare Kwakye concluded with a call for balance and understanding: “It is important to respect the rights of persons of other religions. At the same time, those who access education in mission schools must respect the rights and identity of the owners of these schools.
If we do this together, we will stay on the path of social cohesion, which is essential for national development.”
He further prayed that national leaders “will recognise these principles at all times and ensure that the right things are done” to safeguard Ghana’s longstanding culture of peaceful coexistence.
