{
  "id": 850504,
  "title": "Religious Affairs Ministry begins compiling database of shrines, religious sites",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/religious-affairs-ministry-begins-compiling-database-of-shrines",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-14T08:12:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Adom Online",
    "slug": "adom-online",
    "url": "https://www.adomonline.com/religious-affairs-ministry-begins-compiling-database-of-shrines-religious-sites/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs in Ghana has initiated a project to compile a national database of shrines and religious sites. Chief Registrar Baafi Nsiah addressed traditional authorities and practitioners at a mass registration event in the Ashanti Region, emphasizing the importance of accurate data collection. The database aims to support regulation, planning, and recognition of traditional and faith-based institutions, as well as identify historically and culturally significant sites for potential development into tourist attractions. The program, held at the Kumasi Centre for National Culture, was organized by the Trado-Afrikan Faith Healers Association in collaboration with the Ministry and the Traditional Medicine Practice Council. Dr. Yakubu T. Yusuf, CEO of the Traditional Medicine Practice Council, explained that the registration and licensing exercise seeks to formalize the traditional healing sector, protect public health, and prevent the practice of unlicensed healers. Practitioners were warned against operating without valid licenses, with offenders facing penalties under the Traditional Medicine Practice Act. The council encouraged traditional and faith-based healers to participate in the registration process to legitimize their practices.",
  "summary": "The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has begun compiling a national database of shrines, religious sites and their operators as part of efforts to document Ghana’s spiritual and cultural heritage. Chief Registrar at the Ministry, Baafi Nsiah, urged traditional authorities and practitioners to cooperate with the exercise to ensure accurate data collection. […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": "This development formalizes the traditional healing sector and tightens regulation, enabling authorities to distinguish licensed practitioners from unlicensed ones and putting pressure on unlicensed healers to legitimize their practices.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}