Regional News of Wednesday, 13 January 2021

Source: Muhammed Faisal Mustapha, Contributor

Don’t scrap Ministry of Inner Cities and Zongo Development - Muslim groups to Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

The Muslim Groups Ghana, organizers of Ghana Muslim Excellence Awards which is made up of different organizations including the Northerners and Zongos Concern Youth Association Ghana, Zongo Broadcasters Live, Ghana Hajj Research, ZongoPeople.com and Hajj Media Voice have called on President Akufo-Addo not to scrap the Zongo Development Ministry.

According to the group, there has been rumours and posts on social media platforms that the government in its second term of office will be scrapping some Ministries to reduce the number hence their appeal to the President to maintain the Zongo Ministry.

“The Ministry of Inner Cities And Zongo Development has made progress, and if it is true that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo and the NPP are planning to scrap the Ministry, it will have a negative impact on the people within the Zongos and Inner Cities".

The National Coordinator of Muslim Groups Ghana and a popular Radio presenter within the Zongo communities, Alhaji Halidu Abubakar Galaxy, stated that the Ministry of Inner Cities And Zongo Development has resolved long-standing claims and accusations that the people of Zongo only perpetrate crime and indulge in other illegal activities.

He added that the Zongo Ministry has given the people of Zongo a good name and has projected and developed the people to a higher level and therefore scrapping it will be a huge disaster in the country and will be of great advantage to the opposition party in the 2024 election.

Alhaji Galaxy revealed that the opposition party discredited the creation of the Zongo Ministry describing it as a Ministry created to deceive the good people of Zongo an assertion the Muslim Groups Ghana condemned.

"Now that the Ministry has begun to serve its purpose for the benefit of all Zongo communities why will it be scraped, Mr. President. Alhaji Galaxy queried. We the Muslim Groups Ghana will passionately appeal and plead with you with all due respect to maintain our dignity and respect by maintaining the Zongo Ministry," he noted.

He advised the President not to be discouraged by the votes the NPP had in the just ended Presidential and Parliamentary elections in the Zongos and the newly created Regions. He said the President should rather focus on how to improve and impact positively on the lives of the people.

"The creation of Zongo Ministry, the Zongo Development fund, well structured Hajj Operation amongst other developmental projects within the Zongo communities across the country shows that you ( the President) and the NPP have the interest of the Zongo people at heart and your reward will soon be granted in near future."