The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has established a working group to compile a national database of shrines, churches and other religious sites across the country.
The Minister, Ahmed Ibrahim, disclosed this during an appearance before Parliament’s Government Assurance Committee.
“Honourable chair, the Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has set up a working group comprising officers from the Chief and Religious Affairs, Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Research, Statistics and Information Management directorates to create the database on shrines and other religious sites in the country,” he stated.
Supported by the Regional Coordinating Councils, this mapping exercise is considered necessary because the concept of a shrine remains complex and frequently misunderstood.
“A shrine is not just one thing. Even as you sit here, if I want to come shrine, I need to be given the power… it is not simple,” he explained.
The initiative follows growing concerns over individuals establishing shrines within local communities and presenting them as legitimate religious institutions.
“Simply because you go to certain communities, somebody will come there and say he has a shrine and maybe going to be doing things. That is another form of religion but we are in charge of religion,” Ibrahim noted.
The Minister acknowledged that whilst some dismissed the inquiry as “jovia”, it remains a highly sensitive and delicate matter. He emphasised that a multi-sectoral committee of experts was essential because defining a shrine requires a rigorous foundation.
“So 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,” he told the Committee. “We need to have a very firm foundation as to what a shrine is. Are we believing that it is only where a shrine that is house or a shrine that is the asset of the town.”
The final database will encompass churches, traditional African religious sites and shrines, enabling the government to maintain accurate records and ensure proper oversight of the nation’s religious landscape.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana