The Executive Director for Strategic Thinkers Network (STRANEK) Think-thank, Gideon Nii Tettey Tetteh has called on the president H.E Nana Akufo-Addo to call on the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng to apologies to Muslims for his proposal on the use of mobile applications like text messages and Whatsapp in calling to prayer.
He also stated that the president should further suspend the minister should he refuse the apology.
Speaking on Ahotor FM Morning Show on Monday, 16th April, with Onantefour Addea Munumkum, Nii Tetteh stated that the comment by the Minister amounts to religious bigotry and should be condemned by the president and the entire government,
He also called on the minister to openly apologize to the numerous Muslims in the country or should be suspended by the president.
“The minister should set his priorities right and focus on his core mandate in tackling the insanitary condition in the country; this statement was a reckless, insensitive comment. The Muslim community has all the right to be angry because it is a serious issue which should be damned by all and given the needed attention to avoid its re occurrence” He stated
It can be recalled that The Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng on April 10 proposed the use of mobile applications like text messages and Whatsapp in calling Muslims to prayer.
He stated that places of worship in the country had become places of noisemaking and questioned why worshipers are unable to contain the noise they make within their auditorium or premises.
“In the house of worship, why is it that the noise will (not) be limited to the house of worship…and again maybe from the mosque, why is it that time for prayer would not be transmitted with a text message or WhatsApp so the Imam will send WhatsApp message to everybody that the time for prayer is up, so appear,” he said at a news conference.
Muslim Group demand Minister’s removal
Muslim groups, The Northerners and Zongos Concerned Youth Association Ghana and Ghana Muslim Broadcast Journalists Association are demanding the removal of the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng from his position for his call on Muslim leaders to consider the use of text messages to call to prayer.
According to the group, the utterances of the Minister has not been palatable thereby causing unnecessary tension in the country hence the demand for his removal.
Daniel Koranteng Kwagyiri|ahotoronline.com|Ghana
