No to food donations to Chief Imam

The national chairman for the Coalition of National Zongo Political Groupings, Yahaya Alhassan is appealing to the political class, corporate bodies and diplomatic missions to consider making cheque or educational materials as donations to the office of the National Chief Imam instead of food items.

Speaking in a press conference organized in Accra, Mr Alhassan pointed that ‘human beings want cheap things and publicity’.

Adding that, it has become a norm, particularly among politicians for what he described as “scavenging to the palace of the Chief Imam to make strategic donation to the important office".

Whilst appreciating their gesture of goodwill, it is surprising that these individuals who are aware of the predicament of the Zongos especially towards education still donate food items to the detriment of the educational fund and other projects embarked by the Chief Imam.

He continued that, the donation of foodstuffs like bags of rice, sugar, cartons of milk, cooking oil and other cooking stuffs accompanied by huge cameras is not only a cheap way to gain popularity, because these donations will not solve the fundamental problems of the needy in the Zongos. The food donations will not bring school drop outs back to the classroom, will not halt the vicious cycle of poverty among other predicaments faced the youth in the Zongos. However, donating to the Chief Imam’s educational fund would at least reduce poverty in the longrun when these kids become well educated.

The Chief Imam has a foundation, which among other thing sponsors the education of needy children. The foundation advocates for violence-free Zongos, campaigns against drug abuse, women rights and undertake programs to improve the general wellbeing of the Zongo community.

He advised that, with a cheque donation, the Chief Imam can efficiently outline programs and effectively finance the foundation’s agenda to positively shape the Muslim community.

Quoting the old adage, Mr Alhassan said "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you would feed him for his lifetime". I therefore, urge kind-hearted donors to direct their support to vocational items such as sewing and embroidery machines to equip the community with skills to make beneficiaries economically independent.

He appealed that "It is a national call, a patriotic call and educational call to correct a generational error of perspective when donating to the office of the Chief Imam".

The Coalition of National Zongo Political Groupings is a political movement to concentrate Zongo electoral influence. It aims at uniting and mobilizing Zongo communities or individuals across the political divide to support members or persons living in Zongo and Ghana as a whole.