Promises made by president-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo to Zongo communities during his campaign prior to the election, will be captured in his first budget in 2017.
At least this is the assurance from Akufo-Addo’s spokesperson, Mustapha Hamid who made the remark on Eyewitness News on Thursday.
According to him, the NPP is bent on ensuring that the promise is fulfilled.
“During the Kufuor era we said we will pay Arabic school teachers and we did it. Beyond that, we have said that we are going to establish a Zongo development fund which will do a broad range of things…and we will see it in the very first budget. And I’m sure by March or April the budget of the new NPP government will be read and people will see concretely that these are not mere campaign sloganeering and that we mean to put the structures in place so that skepticism could be erased forever.”
Mustapha Hamid made the remark on the back of doubts expressed by a Muslim community leader, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, who was adamant about Akufo-Addo’s promises to the Zongos.
The NDC in its 2016 manifesto promised promised to boost development in Zongo communities by setting up a Zongo development fund to champion that vision.
But Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, who also doubles as the spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, said things might remain the same.
“I have lived my life in this country across different political dispensations. I challenge everyone to tell me exactly what has changed. Not much has changed. The Muslim community, particularly the Zongo remains a disadvantaged community and that is why there is so much poverty, there is so much redundancy and lack of progress and it is reflecting in the attitudes of the people within the Zongo.”
“In fact, we are watching and some of the things we have said against other governments we will say against NPP if they don’t fulfill their promises. The past governments have exploited Hajj and they have given the impression that government sponsors Hajj. Government doesn’t sponsor Hajj; but government has exploited the Hajj,” he noted.
However, Akufo-Addo’s spokesperson said his party won’t let Muslims down.
“Nobody is ever going to be able to create heaven on earth, but he will contribute his modest best to ensure a certain descent and comfortable life for our zongo communities within human limit,” Mr. Hamid added.
Source: citifmonline.com
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Frankly speaking, am very disappointed in Mustapha Amid and Sheik Aremeyaw, because the two of them are making Zongo people look like people who cannot reason themselves or who are lazy and waiting for NPP gov't to come solve their problem for them. We Zongo people are hard working people and know what we can do to make life better for ourselves. Must I wait for Nana Addo to become President and start begging for what I can conveniently provide for myself or with the help of other fellow Zongo people. These are the king of language that we speaks and others look down on Zongo people as if they don't know their right from left. Why should we asking for preferential treatment as if are lazy or lack sense of reasoning. Nana Addo cannot solve our problems for us it is how we the Zongo unit and take our own destiny into our hand and work towards the betterment of life. Asalaam Alaikum
This Sheik Aremeyaw has now found his voice. Why didn't he tell the NDC government that they were exploiting the hajj??? Now a new government which has not yet even assumed office has promised to set uo a fund and you won't even let the dust settle and you are making uneccessary comments about the promise. Why?? Just behabing like Muntie fm who are already demanding that promises inclydung thyse not even made by npp, to be fulfilled even before they assume office!
open letter to America embassy, British embassy and European embassies in Ghana, God richly bless u all, u have save Ghana from going to war, Ghana and Ghanaians would have being fighting by now if America embassy have not save this country, America embassy especially, u help Ghana people to come out of n,d,c machination, n,d,c was bent on staying in power at all cost, but America and other embassies saw to it that Ghana, got real democracy, God richly please America embassy in Ghana for standing up for democracy in Ghana, all Ghana people are grateful to the u,s,a embassy in Ghana, and we hope to trade with America government in the coming yours, god richly bless you, from concern people of Ghana