Prang (B/A), July 20, GNA - Vice President Aliu Mahama on Friday urged Muslims to take secular education seriously to be able to seize the many opportunities on the globe.

"Secular education will empower you to become a global citizen so that you can engage in the activities that make a global village a place of opportunities for all irrespective of gender, religion or tribe," he said.

Vice President Mahama was speaking at a function at Prang in the Pru District of the Brong Ahafo Region in honour of a Muslim leader, the late Sheikh Abdulai Maikano. He asked Muslim leaders to redouble their efforts to encourage their communities to take advantage of government's programmes in education and health in order to make their people spiritually sound and appreciate the dimension of socio-political development and governance. The Vice President observed that through education, Muslims could speak about injustice and avoid indiscipline. "Moreover, they can be at the forefront of initiatives in business, ICT, agriculture, academia and politics." Vice President Mahama also interacted with the chiefs and people and said the government would not renege on its promises to improve the roads in the District and facilities at the local senior secondary school.

He said government was importing about 200 vehicles for some senior secondary schools and Prang SSS would be a beneficiary. He tasked the Ministry of Transportation and the Regional Coordinating Council to step up efforts on work on the Prang-Sele-Kwame Danso road.

Vice President Mahama asked the chief, Nana Kwadwo Nyarko III to spearhead efforts towards the eradication of Guinea worm which was endemic in the area.

Nana Nyarko assured the Vice President that he had submitted a proposal to the District Assembly to tackle the Guinea worm disease. Vice President Mahama later interacted with the chiefs and people of Atebubu where he assured them of government's commitment to solve the town's water problems, upgrade the local SSS and District Hospital. Nana Owusu Achiew II, Chief of Atebubu, asked the government to provide a generator to facilitate the pumping of water from the water supply station to the town.

The Vice President who is on a four-day visit to the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Northern regions, interacted with the Juaso chief, Barima Safo Twie II and consoled him on the death of Prof. Patrick Twumasi, former Ambassador to Cote d'Ivoire, who hailed from the area. He later inspected work on the two billion-cedi maternity block at Juaso District Hospital. 20 July 07