Politics of Monday, 11 June 2012

Source: GNA

Ofosu-Ampofo Predicts NDC victory in Zongo communities in 2012

Mr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, at the week-end said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) would win all the votes in the Zongos through its commitment to developing the Zongo communities.

He said Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembles had been directed to allocate funds from their Common Fund for development projects in their Zongo communities.

Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo announced this when inaugurating the Tema West Constituency Ward Committee of NDC Zongo Caucus at Klagon, near Accra.

He said the best development for the Zongo communities was through education, adding that the NDC under the former President Jerry John Rawlings established the Islamic Education Unit to empower Muslims and people living in the Zongo communities through education.

“The NDC, through its respect for Muslims made the Eid Fitir and Eid Adha Days public holidays.”

Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo said the Tema West Constituency had seen a lot of development under his leadership as Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, adding "Sakumono, where most of the Parliamentarians live which previously was in darkness has been illuminated with 350 street lights".

He said Adjei Kojo, an area within the Constituency had 300 street lights installed and its cluster of schools added to the School Feeding Programme.

Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo appealed to registered voters in the Constituency to vote massively for President John Evans Atta Mills and himself as Member of Parliament (MP) for Tema West.

Alhaji Mohammed Ashkar, Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Zongo Caucus, said the NDC Government was committed to promoting health delivery and that measures were being instituted to implement the one time payment of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

He said government interventions such as LESDEP, Youth in Road Maintenance and Youth in Agriculture were introduced to provide jobs for the youth to reduce unemployment in the country.

Alhaji Ashkar said the NDC was known to be the party of Muslims and Zongo people, adding that Zongo communities would continue to rally behind and vote for the NDC in Election 2012 and beyond.

He said government had provided scholarships to Muslims in oil and gas, medicine and engineering adding that the first batch of the applicants were being screened and recommendations made to government for implementation.**