Children of politicians best recruits for vigilante groups not Zongos - Mustapha Hamid

The Minister for Inner-Cities and Zongo Development, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid has expressed worry about how politicians and political parties resort to the use od Zongo Youth as vigilante group members for violence, advising them to be bold and tell those who come to them with the view of recruiting them into such groups to ask those persons to use their sons or daughters, MyNewsGh.com reports.

According to Mustapha Hamid, the upsurge of the involvement of youth in Zongo Communities in vigilantism for violence during elections is seriously affecting the development of these communities already lagging behind and the earlier the matter is looked into the second time by all stakeholders the better for the country as a whole.

Speaking to MyNewsGh.com during the presentation of cheques to families of the 7 Muslim youth gunned down by police in Ashanti Region last week, the Zongo Minister charged youth in Muslim dominated communities to focus of how to be useful to the entire nation rather kill themselves for persons he described as selfish politicians who will enjoy with their families in peace after they have used them[zongo youth] to achieve the needed results.

“President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo established Zongo Ministry to develop zongo communities across the country. What I know is there cannot be development where there is no peace. Rising of vigilantism in zongo communities has become a major challenge affecting my ministry. It is so pathetic. The issue always makes me sad. I always have sleepless nights when I hear Zongo Youth are been used as vigilante group members. It shouldn’t be that way. We need to find a solution to the problem once and for fall” he advocated.

Dr. Mustapha Hamid, however, charged zongo youth to focus on how to tackle challenges affecting Zongo communities than involving themselves in vigilantism.

“When the politicians or individuals come to you to lead or be part of vigilante groups to cause confusion, tell that person to either bring his/her daughter or son to join. Their daughters and sons are not above you. They have to join you if vigilantism is a good thing” he added.