By Samuel Akumatey
Ho, Nov. 05, GNA – Leadership of the Ewe Muslim Community has called on all stakeholders to strive for an acceptable resolution of the misunderstanding over the appointment of Alhaji Muniru Ali as the Volta regional Chief Imam in 2019.
Amiir, Togbe Ahmad Abass Amedor, President of the Supreme Council of the Community, said the Ewe Muslim Community was advocating the formation of a local mediation committee to deal with the matter after several attempts on the issue through the Peace Council had failed.
The Ewe Muslim Community, a recognised body of Islam converts of Ewe descent, said at a press conference held at the Volta Press Centre in Ho, that there were rising tensions and that time to act was also running out.
“The issue is that the Volta Region is troubled of the unsettled Imamship disputes among Muslims in Ho. Today, there are uneasiness and rising tensions among Muslims over the long-standing disputes of who becomes or is the Volta Regional Chief Imam.
“By default, when Ho, the Regional Capital of Volta chooses a Chief Imam, that Chief Imam becomes the Regional Chief Imam automatically. The leadership has also been largely a family and friends affair and no one in the Muslim community had any issue with its legitimacy.”
Amiir Amedo said the issue had grown out of the grips of the regional administration, and the Asogli State Council and seemed not to be improving despite the intervention of the National Chief Imam.
“The two factions have now grown into two communities—each group having its set of Zongo Chiefs, and Imams, living independent of each other. This division had been a Ho affair, but unfortunately, though expected, has now engulfed the whole region.
“The state of affairs as of now seems to be suggesting that things are going out of hand, and the earlier practical and realistic moves are taken to resolve the matter, the earlier it shall be for all of us,” he said.
He said the Supreme Council believed that a compromise from both should be considered in the interest of peace, and that pacemakers should seek a middle ground that would unite all.
“We are calling on the relevant stakeholders, particularly, the office of the National Chief Imam to reconsider their earlier conclusions on the matter for peaceful outcomes that would be acceptable to all. We believe this can be done.
“We are also appealing to our traditional chiefs in Ho, especially the Asogli State, to support this call of review, for peace, love and trust to return among Muslims of the land.”
He called on the two factions to accept the path of dialogue and compromise for a win-win outcome for Islam and Ghana.
The Ewe Muslim Community promised to provide the needed contributions in mediation to the relevant bodies towards a true end to the matter and the restoration of peace to the community.
GNA