Muslims in Koforidua Zongo urged to exhibit a culture of tolerance

Koforidua, Dec. 30, GNA - Mr Salifu Yakubu, Eastern Regional Secretary of the People's National Convention (PNC), has urged Muslims in Koforidua Zongo to exhibit a culture of tolerance and democratic principles within their Islamic sects to enhance the prospects of winning more souls for Islam He said petty squabbles and confrontations could scare people away from becoming Muslims.

Mr Yakubu said even though there are many churches that preach with the same Bible with different interpretations, Christians still coexist with each other without conflicts.

He said there was no reason why Muslims who preach peace could not do the same for the sake of the cardinal principle Islam stands for as enshrined in the Holy Quran.

Mr Yakubu said this when he addressed a group of Islamic Youth in the House of the Regional Chief Imam, Alhaji Ussif Abdani, to welcome him from performing this year's Hajj.

He expressed worry about some unhealthy developments in the Koforidua Zongo community, which he said could undermine peace and progress. He said where there was no peace there could never be a meaningful development and advised Muslims to use dialogue and the "fear of Allah" to solve their differences

On education, Mr Yakubu said when given the mandate to rule, a PNC government would, within 100 days of assuming power, organize a national forum for consensus on policies for the entire spectrum of education. This would help confirm or modify some of the PNC views of implementing strategies related to a new education policy for the nation.

He said education was the core problem facing the Islamic Youth in the Zongos, adding that without a highly educated and trained manpower, the life style of the youth in the community could never progress.

In an answer to a question why the PNC was not joining the Convention People's Party (CPP) to form a stronger force, Mr Yakubu said the party had remained true to its tradition and consistent with its vision. "It remains today the only surviving unadulterated Nkrumah's party right from 1992".

Mr Yakubu questioned what prevented the CPP from joining the PNC so that together they could improve their support base taking into account the party's performance and representation in Parliament for the four previous elections compared to that of the CPP. 30 Dec. 09