Were it not for education I’d be selling charcoal – Ursula

The member of Parliament for the Ablekuma West and Minister for Communication Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has disclosed to the people of the Savannah Region that charcoal selling was her business until education saved her.

Speaking at the first ever Savannah Regional Nasara Wing durbar in Damongo, Mrs Owusu-Ekuful touted the achievements of the Zongo Ministry and urged the people in the Zongo areas to make education a major priority in their lives since that is the only way Zongo communities across the country can develop.

She said the Akufo-Addo-led government has the development of Zongos at heart hence the introduction of polices specifically target at zongos to help in their development.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful said: “Not just have we established the Zongo ministry, we’ve set up the Zongo Development Fund and I’m sure you can all testify that when it comes to infrastructure they are working, when it comes to education, Zongos have felt it, when it comes to employment you have seen it. Our Arabic teachers are being given allowances, we’ve focused on you not because we don’t have anything to do but we recognise the importance Zongos and Nasaras are to everything that we do in this country".

“Her Excellency Hajia Samira Bawumia said something profound and some people are insulting her but I doff my hat out to the second lady. She said were it not education, where would she, a Zongo Fulani woman be. I can say the same for myself, were it not for education, I would be selling charcoal because I’ve sold charcoal before. Today, by God’s grace and because I went to school, I’m a lawyer and a communications minister. So, I’ll encourage everyone to take advantage of the policies that we’re putting in place in education to educate our people”.

For his part, the NPP Parliamentary Candidate for the Damongo Constituency who doubles as the deputy chief of staff, Samuel Abu Jinapor told the crowd to work hard to make sure the NPP wins massively I the region in the 2020 polls.

He said the party is targeting not less than six seats in the Savannah Region since the NPP has performed very well in the region.

The Savannah Regional Chairman for the NPP, Alhaji Iddrisu Sulemana a.k.a Professor Kalamonia said in his speech that the Zongo communities in the past used to be noted for violence but the story has changed following the coming into office of the NPP.

He said the Zongo Ministry is doing a lot for the Zongos in terms of development and urged them to keep praying for the NPP to continue to be in government.