Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Christian Tetteh Yohuno has warned that the Ghana Police Service will not hesitate to act against religious bigotry and inciting content that threatens the country’s peace and religious harmony.
He said seemingly isolated acts of religious intolerance, particularly those amplified on social media, could escalate into wider conflict if left unchecked.
The IGP made the remarks at an engagement between the Police Service and religious leaders at the National Police Headquarters on Friday, August 14, 2026, following the arrest of a pastor and an imam over allegedly religiously inciting comments made on social media.
“May this matter serve as a clear reminder that the law works.” he said, warning against allowing tensions to develop into civil unrest.
“We have seen nations where small sparks were allowed to fester until they grew into civil strife, destroying communities, markets, schools and places of worship,” he added.
Mr Yohuno said Ghana’s relative peace had been sustained because previous generations chose dialogue and cooperation rather than violence.
“Ghana has been spared this tragedy not because we are immune to disagreement but because generations before us chose dialogue over destruction and brotherhood over hate,” he stated.
The IGP called on Christian and Muslim leaders to take a more active role in promoting interfaith harmony and discouraging violence.
He asked religious leaders to make three key commitments, beginning with dedicating their sermons to messages of peace, self-control and religious tolerance.
“Dedicate your Friday sermons in Islam, and Sunday sermons strictly to messages of interfaith harmony, self-control and the danger of religious conflict,” he urged.
He also asked religious leaders to remind their congregations that acts that threaten national peace could have lasting consequences for younger generations.
“Remind your congregations that an attack on the peace of Ghana is an attack on the future of their own children,” he said.
His second appeal was for Christian and Islamic leaders to demonstrate unity publicly and engage communities together.
“Let the public see Christians and Islamic leaders standing together, sharing meals, issuing joint statements and walking through our communities hand in hand,” Mr Yohuno said.
He added: “Show the youth that diversity of faith is strength, not a fault line.”
The IGP’s third appeal focused on strengthening public confidence in Ghana’s statutory justice system.
He urged religious leaders to discourage their followers from taking the law into their own hands through mob action, online abuse or physical violence.
“Teach them that trusting the state to resolve offences is a mark of civic maturity and religious wisdom,” he said.
Mr Yohuno also cautioned Ghanaians against taking the country’s peace for granted, citing conflicts in other parts of the West African subregion where unresolved tensions had escalated into violence.
“Just look around our West African subregion. We see nations where small sparks were allowed to fester until they grew into infernos of civil strife, destroying communities, markets, schools and places of worship,” he warned.
He urged religious leaders to use their influence to promote tolerance, responsible use of social media and peaceful resolution of disputes.
“Let us leave this hall today united in purpose, to guide our peace and to honour our Creator through our love for one another and to ensure Ghana remains a beacon of light,” the IGP said.
