Kumasi, Jan 20, GNA-Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister-designate, has called on Muslims to channel part of their resources to national development.

He has also urged them to eschew all negative tendencies and sacrifice for a better life.

Mr Boafo said this in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Ernest Yaw Kwarteng, the Regional Co-ordinating Director at an open prayer held by Muslims at the Central Mosque in Kumasi to mark Eid-Ul-Adha festival. He appealed to them to continue to pray for peace, unity and development and work hard in their communities to improve on sanitary conditions.

The Ashanti Regional Deputy Imam, sheikh Abdul Haroon Moumen, who led the over 5,000 Muslims in prayers, said the festival was significant to all Muslims in all parts of the world.

He urged the worshippers to forget the past and work hard to improve on their spiritual life.

He asked God to protect and guard the President and his Ministers of State to enable them lead the country to achieve its aspirations.

Preaching at the Tafo Methodist primary school park in Kumasi, Sheikh Mohammed Kamil Mohammed, Ashanti Regional Chief Imam of the Al-Sunna Wal-Jamaa, observed that increasing communal violence and religious conflicts among Moslems and Christians had of late affected the development of the country.

He therefore, appealed to Moslems and Christians to unite to ensure peace and development at all times.

Sheikh Mohammed noted that the progress and development of the country should not be the responsibility of the government alone and asked Ghanaians to contribute their quota towards the socio-economic development of Ghana.

He emphasised the importance of education in the nation building and advised parents and guardians to give quality education to their children to enable them play meaningful role towards the development of the nation.

The Chief Imam warned them against involving in immoral behaviour like drug abuse, alcoholism, teenage pregnancy and HIV/AIDS. Sheikh Mohammed urged them to be committed to the worship of God and also to live exemplary lives worthy of emulation.