The Zongo Caucus of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has dismissed the promise by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to set up a Zongo Development Fund, if voted to power in this year’s general polls, as empty political talk.

The group stated this this was a huge deception – to win votes in these communities.

Mr. Mohammed Awal, Ashanti Regional Communications Officer of the Caucus, addressing a press conference in Kumasi, said the people could not trust the NPP to bring progress to them.

He claimed that for the eight years that it was in power, it neglected the Zongos and did nothing to transform the lives of the people there.

“We wish to put on record that, the NPP cannot boast of a single policy it initiated towards the development of the Zongos in its entire eight-year administration.”

Mr. Awal made reference to what he described as “massive infrastructural development” carried out by the NDC government within the past seven years and said this had brought tremendous benefits to everybody.

He applauded the government for absorbing private senior high schools (SHS) in the Zongo areas into public system.

He also touched on the pledge by the NPP’s presidential running mate, Alhaji Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, to restructure the Hajj Board to make it more efficient and said this was something the government had already taken steps to address.

He cited the construction of the Hajj Village as evidence of the government’s determination to make things smooth for pilgrims, adding that, the days where they got stranded at the airport were now over.