Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dominic Ayine, has filed a formal response to a Supreme Court suit challenging what plaintiffs describe as discriminatory religious policies at Wesley Girls’ Senior High School.
In the response, the Attorney-General refuted claims that Wesley Girls SHS is acting unlawfully, insisting that the school—founded and operated by the Methodist Church of Ghana—is permitted to enforce rules consistent with its Methodist principles.
According to the Attorney-General, the school’s faith-based identity grants it the authority to establish standards on religious conduct within the school environment, even where such standards limit the expression of other religious practices.
The case, filed on December 24, 2024, by private legal practitioner Shafic Osman under the Supreme Court’s original jurisdiction (Articles 2(1)(b) and 130(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution), centres on allegations that Muslim students are barred from wearing the hijab, fasting during Ramadan, and observing other Islamic rites—actions the plaintiff argues contravene constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion.
The suit seeks multiple declarations, including a ruling that the school’s policies violate provisions of the 1992 Constitution.
“A declaration that the 1st Defendant’s policy compelling and requiring the practice of a compulsory school religion in a public school is contrary to and inconsistent with Articles 21(1)(b)(c) and Article 26,” the plaintiff states.
He further argues that the restrictions clash with international human rights standards recognised under Article 33(5).
In addition to the declarations, the plaintiff is asking the court to direct the Ghana Education Service to develop constitutional guidelines to regulate religious practice across all public schools.
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Read the A-G’s full response below:
