The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has set up a multi-sectoral committee to develop a national database on shrines and other religious sites across Ghana, Minister Ahmed Ibrahim has announced.
Disclosing the initiative before Parliament’s Committee on Assurances, Mr Ibrahim said the exercise aims to determine the exact number of shrines in the country and establish clear criteria for what qualifies as a shrine, a task he acknowledged is more complex than it appears.
The working group comprises officers from the Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Directorate, as well as units overseeing Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Research, Statistics, and Information Management.
The committee will also receive support from the various Regional Coordinating Councils.
Mr. Ibrahim explained that the nature of shrines makes identification particularly challenging, as they are not limited to physical structures.
“A shrine can be a pen. It can be a photo, a picture. It can be anything. And these are spiritual issues,” he told the committee, adding that legal definitions may also prove contentious.
He noted that in some communities, individuals may lay claim to operating shrines without clear authority, underscoring the need for firm guidelines.
“That is why a committee with expertise has been put in place,” he said.
The Minister stressed that the database would provide a foundational framework for understanding and regulating religious sites, while acknowledging that the spiritual dimension of shrines requires careful and consultative handling.
