NPP will restore Islamic teachers’ allowance – Akufo-Addo

Flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Akufo-Addo has promised to restore the allowances given Islamic teachers when voted into power after the December 7 election.

“Since 1957, Zongos have never been mentioned in Ghana’s budget, but my first budget will provide money for the Zongo Development Fund. During the Kufuor administration, Islamic scholars and teachers as well as Christian Roman Catholic teachers were paid allowances. The NDC came to scrap it but I will restore the Islamic teacher allowance,” he stated.

Speaking to the chiefs and elders of the Muslim community at Nima on Tuesday October 11 as part of his campaign tour in the Greater Accra Region, Mr Akufo-Addo denied allegations that he was against the Zongo community, adding that he was the only presidential aspirant to have chosen a Muslim as his running mate.

“In an election year some people will come and lie about me and the NPP but we live peacefully with Muslims. Some opponents will try and segregate us as Muslims and Christians but do not listen to them. Everything they will tell you are lies because Muslims and Christians live in harmony in this country,” he said, adding: “I’m the only one to have selected a Muslim to be my vice… It is only when Christians and Muslims unite that we can have accelerated development in Ghana.”

Mr Akufo-Addo denied talk his government would drive Muslims out of the country, describing the assertions as propaganda. “It is even against the law for me to do that, it is illegal,” he assured.