He quoted Article 17 (2) of the 1992 Constitution which states that "...a person shall not be discriminated against on grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social or economic status."
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Rasta brouhaha: Achimota School headmistress wears an artificial wig but... - Sam George
The Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam Dzata George, has said it's unlawful for the authorities of Achimota School to deny two Rastafarian students admission.
Sam George
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Speaking on the floor of Parliament, the MP said "Mr. Speaker, the Constitution in Article 17 (2) is clear that nobody shall be discriminated against on any grounds. Why is he carrying dreadlocks? Is it a fashion statement or is as a result of a religious belief? Our understanding is that it is a result of a religious belief.
"Are we then going to say that the rules and regulations of Achimota School supersede the 1992 constitution? We cannot accept this Mr. Speaker."
He said "It is this kind of discrimination and I call it discrimination because the same Achimota School has Caucasian white girls carrying long hair which is against the rules and regulations of Achimota school. So we need to ask ourselves 'is it because this young man is a Ghanaian whose father or mother may not be 'somebody. in our society?"
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"Is that why he is being treated that way? While in that same school, you have foreign students, non-Ghanaians, Caucasians also carrying long hair in the same school. So where were Achimota’s rules and regulations when the foreign students were allowed to carry long hair?" he questioned.
He stated that the school wants to deprive the students of their right to education in the country.
"Listening to one of the students in question, it is shocking that any school would want to deprive such an intelligent young man of the opportunity to further his education," he said.
Sam George added that the headmistress wears an artificial wig to school adding that it is time the country reconsider some of the "colonial thinking and mentality" imposed on Ghanaians.
"The headmistress herself is wearing an artificial wig but we think that it is wrong for someone to carry dreadlocks. So, Mr. Speaker, it must ignite a new and larger debate in this country. We are stuck in our colonial thinking and mentality that is why you still have respectfully, our judges of the Supreme Court and lawyers having to appear wearing horse wigs which are a relic of the colonial past," he noted.
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