Ghana Sets Up Committee to Build National Database of Shrines and Religious Sites
- A multi-sectoral working group has been established to create a national database of shrines and religious sites in Ghana
- The committee includes officers from the Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Directorate, alongside planning, research, and statistics units
- The government says defining what qualifies as a shrine remains complex, as shrines can take many forms, including physical objects
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Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Ahmed Ibrahim has announced the formation of a multi-sectoral working group tasked with building a national database of shrines and other religious sites across the country.
Ibrahim disclosed this while appearing before Parliament's Committee on Assurances on July 9, explaining that the initiative seeks to establish both the number of shrines operating in Ghana and a clear, agreed-upon definition of what a shrine actually is.
Source: Facebook
The working group comprises officers drawn from the Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Directorate, as well as the Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Research, Statistics, and Information Management units within the ministry. Regional Coordinating Councils will also provide support to the exercise.
Citi News reported that the minister acknowledged that counting shrines presents considerable practical difficulty, given how varied they can be in form and appearance.
"This is simply because a shrine is not just one thing. Even as we sit here, if I want to count a shrine, I need to be given the power. When I see you, I'll remove your shirt and check you and do body check. So clearly it is not simple and straightforward."
Ibrahim raised concerns about individuals in communities who claim to operate shrines without any formal recognition or regulation, underscoring the need for clear guidelines.
He further stressed that shrines are not confined to physical structures and can manifest in unexpected ways, complicating any attempt at a straightforward classification.
"A shrine can be a pen. It can be a photo, a picture. It can be anything. And these are spiritual issues. The lawyers may disagree with you. So we need to have a very firm foundation as to what a shrine is."
Ghanaian traditionalists under World Cup spotlight
Ghanaian traditionalists made the news in the last few weeks with one of their popular cohort, Nana Kwaku Bonsam, gaining prominence through a series of bold predictions involving high-profile football matches.
Earlier in the current World Cup, he attracted widespread attention before Ghana's group-stage clash with England by claiming he was carrying out a "spiritual ritual" designed to stop Harry Kane from scoring.
England and Ghana eventually played out a goalless draw, prompting Bonsam to publicly celebrate and suggest that his ritual had been successful. Complex, for example, reported that observers blamed Kane's performance on Bonsam's antics.
Source: YEN.com.gh
