Zongo Development fund will ensure inclusive governance - Vice President

The Vice President, Dr Mahamadu Bawumia has explained that the establishment of the Zongo Development Fund(ZDF) was in line with the determination of the government to ensure inclusiveness.

He said it was the first time in the political history of the country for a budgetary allocation to be made for the development of the Zongos the development of the country.

Under the inclusive policy, government has directed the inclusion of lepers in the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme.

Dr Bawumia was speaking at the Nkawkaw Central Mosque after he had joined the Moslem community in the Eastern Region to worship at Nkawkaw, Ofoase, and the Akim Oda Central Mosque.

He said he decided to join the Moslem communities in the 16 regions of the country to pray for the peace of the country and divine wisdom to guide the government in his decisions to ensure the development of the country.

Dr Bawumia said he decided to participate in the prayer session around this time of the year because, by the Moslem Tradition, God responded more positively to the prayer request of believers during the period of the Moslem fasting.

The Vice President said the establishment of the ZDF and the Ministry of Zongo and Inner City Development,(MZICD) was to ensure that the care for the concerns of the people in the Zongos moved from the provision of rice, sugar and oil during the period of fasting to resolution of the challenges facing the deprived in the country many of whom were found in the Zongos.

Dr Bawumia said, in all, government had created direct employment for 350,000 graduates who were sitting at home within the last two years and expressed the hope that many of the graduates from the Zongos had benefitted from the programme.

He said for the first time in the history of the country, government was subsidising electricity by 17.5 per cent for domestic users and 30 per cent for commercial users and had reduced the import tax by 50 per cent with the hope that those policies would soon reflect on the prices of goods and services in the country.

Dr Bawumia urged the Moslem community to continue to pray for the country and government and advised them to live in peace with people of other faith.

Dr Mustapha Hamid, Minister for ZICD said the government gave clearance for the engagement of 3,000 Arabic Teachers who were engaged and the Ministry was yet to apply for clearance for additional Arabic Teachers to be posted to the Arabic Schools that needed teachers.

The leadership of the Zongo community at Nkawkaw appealed to the government to help find a permanent solution to the killing of cows of the Fulanis, the posting of Arabic Teachers to the Arabic school in the area, a classroom block for the kindergarten of the school and a vehicle to support the travelling of the Moslem Chiefs.

At Ofoase in the Akyemansa District, the Moslem Chiefs appealed to the government to provide a patrol vehicle for the Ofoase Police Station to enhance their work.

They also appealed for the provision of a skills training centre for the area and the construction of a mini-market for the Zongo community.

At Akim Oda, the Moslem community appealed for the rehabilitation of the road leading to the Zongo and the construction of a public place of convenience for the community.