We must not tolerate any language of intolerance and division — President Akuffo Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo has urged Ghanaians not to tolerate any language of intolerance and division.

He said Muslims and Christians were all part of the Ghanaian framework, so any attempt to bring division through religious or tribal lines must not be tolerated.

He made the remarks during the 20th celebration of the coronation of Nii Futa, the Chief of the Zongo community in Nima, a deprived community in Accra.

The celebration was marked by a series of events on Thursday and was climaxed by a grand durbar on Sunday where the various ethnic groups displayed their rich cultural heritage.

“We live in a country where a Muslim minority can live peacefully and in harmony with a Christian majority. We live in a country where all the communities can co-exist, and that is the legacy we must cherish and preserve. We must not listen to anybody who comes to speak the language of division and exclusion,’’ he said.

The President praised the Chief for his exemplary leadership in the community, particularly his commitment to social issues, including education.

He recalled fond memories as a resident of the community where he has lived since age 12.

In his address, Nii Futa advocated for more representation for Zongo people in high offices, saying he was yet to see a Zongo person appointed to any cabinet position in the current and past regimes.

Nii Futa bemoaned the spike in urban poverty among Zongo communities due to the absence of social and economic opportunities.

“Mr. President, you will agree with me that poverty is pretty much a major development in Ghana, and urban poverty is becoming a major threat to us as a country, a threat to our middle-income status. Zongo communities have come to represent large enclaves of poverty, slums, and other physical and non-physical vulnerabilities,” he said.

However, he acknowledged the progress made in addressing the challenges in Zongo communities through the creation of the Zongo Development Fund to create sustainable development.