Sunyani (B/A), Oct. 23, GNA - More than 500 Muslims from parts of the Sunyani Municipality on Monday converged at the Sunyani Coronation Park to offer prayers and thanksgiving in observance of this year's Eid-Ul-Fitr festival.

Delivering his speech, the Regional Chief Imam, Alhaji Abdul Kadri, urged parents to take advantage of policies such as the capitation grant and the school feeding programme and enrol their children in schools. "We should all note that the world is changing very fast and it is changing with everything, including Islam, so if our children do not get the needed education, it would be very difficult for them to help grow Islam in future", he stated.

Alhaji Abdul Kadri entreated Muslims to keep their surroundings clean. "Of all the religion in the world, only Islam that directly teaches good hygienic and sanitation practices,=94 he said, adding that despite this, Muslim communities or Zongos, however, fall short of good sanitation.

He therefore appealed to them to follow the requirements of Allah by keeping their environment clean.

The Regional Chief Imam also urged them to register with the National Health Insurance Scheme in order to lay a very good foundation for the health of their families.

He appealed to the youth to desist from immoral acts and negative lifestyles to help reduce the prevalent rate of HIV/AIDS in the region. The Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah thanked them for praying for a peaceful society during the Ramadan period and assured them that the government would leave no stone unturned to develop the country.

He also urged them to do away with negative tendencies. He entreated them to paint buildings and tidy-up their environment in preparation for next year's Golden Jubilee Anniversary to promote a good image of the country to foreigners who would be visiting the country.

The Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Kwame Twumasi- Appiah admonished them to back the policies of the government with unity and peaceful co-existence.

The Regional Minister on behalf of government presented six bags of rice and 100 bags of cement for the completion of a mosque at Kotokrom and a cash of two million cedis to the Chief Imam.