Incite violence, face the law – Interior Minister warns

The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has warned that the government will take firm action against individuals or groups whose comments incite violence or threaten Ghana’s peace and national security.

He said the government would not allow inflammatory statements, particularly those capable of fuelling religious tension, to undermine the country's stability.

The Interior Minister gave the assurance during a meeting with the Governing Body of the National Muslim Conference of Ghana in Accra on Sunday.

The engagement was convened to discuss lasting solutions to inflammatory comments and statements that could potentially trigger religious violence and threaten national peace.

Alhaji Muntaka stressed that the government would enforce the law fairly and without discrimination, regardless of the religious or social background of individuals involved.

He said anyone whose actions or statements crossed the legal boundaries would face the full rigour of the law.

According to the Minister, the government would not apply different standards based on religious affiliation.

“Crime will be treated as crime,” he stressed, noting that whether an offender was Muslim, Christian or belonged to another faith, the law would be applied equally.

He said the position was necessary to protect Ghana's reputation as a peaceful and religiously tolerant country.

The Interior Minister commended the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuru Sharubutu, and the wider Muslim community for what he described as maturity in helping to manage a recent controversy involving comments attributed to an Islamic cleric and a Christian apostle.

He said the willingness of religious leaders to engage in dialogue was critical to preventing isolated disagreements from escalating into broader religious tensions.

Muntaka also stressed the importance of protecting Ghana's peace at a time when terrorism continues to pose a serious security threat in parts of West Africa.

He noted that four of the 10 countries most affected by terrorism were located within the West African sub-region, making Ghana's peace and stability particularly important.

In his welcome address, the General Secretary of the National Muslim Conference of Ghana, Alhaji Baba Mohammed Inusah, commended the Interior Minister for his role in the establishment of the conference and his continued commitment to promoting peace.

He urged participants to focus on finding sustainable solutions to inflammatory statements by religious leaders instead of allowing past disagreements to dominate discussions.

Alhaji Inusah said the meeting was not intended to create arguments or reopen old wounds.

Rather, he said, it was aimed at creating a platform for dialogue, mutual respect and constructive engagement to help Ghana move forward.

He emphasised the need for religious leaders and other stakeholders to work together to prevent comments capable of creating religious divisions and undermining national cohesion.

The meeting brought together senior officials and religious leaders involved in Ghana's peace and security architecture.

Those present included Inspector-General of Police Christian Tetteh Yohuno, members of the Police Management Board (POMAB), advisers to the Interior Minister, and the Chairman of the National Peace Council, Most Reverend Emmanuel Kofi Fianu.

The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuru Sharubutu, also attended the engagement.

The discussions form part of broader efforts by state and religious authorities to strengthen interfaith dialogue and prevent inflammatory rhetoric from escalating into violence.

The government has reiterated that while freedom of expression remains an important democratic right, individuals and groups must exercise that freedom responsibly and within the limits of the law.