Politics of Friday, 3 July 2009

Source: GNA

NPP youth in Zongo call for fresh probe into Muntaka saga

Kumasi, July 3, GNA - Some Muslim youths in Kumasi have appealed to President John Atta Mills to conduct fresh investigations into the alleged malfeasance involving the former Minister of Youth and Sports, Alhaji Mubarak Muntaka.

They alleged that there were other people involved in the saga and they also should be investigated and their conduct made public. Addressing a press conference in Kumasi on Thursday Mr Abdul Basit A. Rahman, Secretary of the NPP Zongo Pioneers, said youth in Zongo communities had doubts about the outcome of the investigations conducted by national security.

He said what the Zongo youth wanted was the truth and not any political gimmicks.

Mr Rahman accused some leading members of the NDC for playing tribal politics with the Alhaji Muntaka issue and said the former minister should be treated as an individual and not as a person representing Zongo communities in government.

"The NDC for sometime now has been making noise that theirs is a party that has the people of the Zongo community at heart. Indeed, listening to some of their gurus, it becomes clear that they have little or no respect for the people of Zongo community. Some of them have totally tribalised the Muntaka saga as if he (Muntaka) is representing the Zongo community in government", he said.

Mr Rahman condemned the destruction of property and attack on innocent persons by some NDC supporters in the Asawase constituency during their recent demonstration in support of Muntaka who is the Member of Parliament for the area and said such acts could spark violence in Zongo communities.

He expressed concern about the increasing cost of living in recent times, especially in the areas of food items and transportation and said Ghanaians were suffering and appealed to the government to concentrate on instituting appropriate measures to address the challenges facing the economy instead of arresting and threatening political opponents.