Accra: A special request from Safia Salifu, the Headmistress of Islamic Girls Senior High School, has triggered a wave of reactions on social media, particularly on the platform X. The incident occurred when Salifu requested special religious privileges for handling the Holy Quran during her discharge from the Public Accounts Committee hearing on May 21, 2026.
According to Ghana Web, Salifu respectfully requested that the Holy Quran be given special religious consideration, asking that it be placed in a separate box away from other documents and handled exclusively by a Muslim. This request was based on the Islamic tradition that holds the Quran as a sacred text that should be treated with utmost respect, including performing ablution before touching it.
"I have a plea, honourable chair. Please can you put Honourable Miss Bao in charge of our Quran because we don't put anything on Quran and it is being mixed up with some other documents. Thank you," Salifu stated during the hearing. She further emphasized, "No, we have to get a separate box to keep the Quran in . and probably get a Muslim to serve it to me because we perform ablution before touching it. I see that it has been mixed with some other documents. Thank you," she added firmly.
The video of the exchange was widely shared online, drawing mixed reactions from Ghanaians. While some users defended the request as an expression of faith, many others criticized it as an inappropriate overreach during official proceedings. One user commented, "What kind of absurd demand is this? They should get a Muslim to handle your Quran because a non-Muslim is too dirty to touch it!" The user went on to express concerns about religious extremism, stating, "That nonsense book which toilet paper is even better than? Ahhh, mmom paaa Ghana, like play like play, Bokoharam go land for Ghana ooh, wake up."
Another user expressed their frustration with the request, writing, "Kwasia woman. Hw3 n'anim tantan bi, she thinks Ghana be Iran or sokoto? Ne maame tw3m!!!!!!" A different user supported the criticism by noting, "I like that the lady in glasses called her out right to her face. They always want special treatment in every part of the world, when people called them out. They claim 'Islamophobia'."