The Minister-designate for Inner City and Zongo Development Boniface Abubakari Saddique has indicated that the development of Zongos across the country is not a political gimmick to woo the inhabitants to vote for the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

According to him, the development of Inner City and Zongos would bridge the gap between Zongo communities and the residential areas, indicating that when the people get what they want, they would decide where they want to go.

“The NPP is not using the Zongo development to woo people to vote for the party, we are thinking about the youth, we are thinking about the Zongos,” he said.

Addressing the Muslim community at Savelugu in the Northern Region, he said a national stakeholder’s conference would be held to identify the actual needs of the people.

Speaking to DAILY GUIDE, the Minister-designate, disclosed that the youth in the Northern Region would not be left out of the initiative, adding that they must get a share of the national cake.

Some of the programmes that will be carried out would focus on training and business development.

The Zongo of yesterday is not the Zongo now because when you go to the Zongo communities, you would see people living there from different religious and tribal backgrounds so it’s not just limited to only a particular people, he added.

Boniface Abubakar Saddique, who is currently the Member of Parliament (MP) for Madina, served as Northern Regional Minister under the previous Kufuor administration.

President Akufo-Addo indicated that one of the critical areas of concern for the social cohesion and harmony in the country is the development taking place in the inner cities and the Zongos.