The President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has entreated Muslims to make gains out of the Free Senior High School (SHS) by educating their wards “both male and female, and ensure that, within this generation, we can eradicate poverty, illiteracy, and disease from our country”.

Additionally, he called for the elevation of peace among the various faiths in Ghana and demanded Muslims to represent the lifeblood of Islam.

“If the first commandment to the Prophet, from Allah, was to “Read,” then Islam is meant to be a religion of knowledge,” Nana Addo addressed.

“I, thus, continue to admonish you to take your children to school. Let us take advantage of the Free Senior High School program and the educational interventions that the Ministry of Inner City and Zongo Development is making in Zongo communities, to educate our children, both male and female, and ensure that, within this generation, we can eradicate poverty, illiteracy, and disease from our country.

“Ghana continues to be the envy of the world, because of the religious harmony that we foster among adherents of different faiths. I urge you to continue to promote religious harmony and peaceful co-existence. It is the essence of Islam, which means peace and submission to the will of Allah.

His Excellency, Nana Akufo Addo joined the Vice President, Alhaji Muhammadu Bawumia, the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr. Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, and other Muslim leaders in the country to mark Eid ul-Fitr celebrations at the Forecourt of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, On Sunday, 24th May 2020.

The president remarked that this year’s Ramadan fast will remain unique in Islamic history as one that was observed without the usual activities and buzz that come with the Ramadan fast” since Muslims fasted without the traditional iftar, tafsir, tarawih and tahajjud prayers as a result of the ban on social gathering in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

He congratulated Muslims for the sacrifices to save human lives by observing the protocols outlined by government. He reminded that the Zongo development fund established to empower the indigenes of Inner-Cities and Zongo (MICZD) communities through a Coordinated Programme of Economic and Social Development Policies and facilitate a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable social transformation of the Inner-Cities and Zongo Communities is pursuing a determined agenda to address the various shortfalls in the Zongo communities.

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The Zongo Development Fund, under the direction of the energetic Minister for Inner City and Zongo Development, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, is pursuing an aggressive development agenda, as set out in Government’s Economic and Social Development Agenda. From Togorme Zongo in the Volta Region, through Dambai Zongo in the Oti Region, to Tumu Zongo in the Upper West Region, down to Axim Zongo in the Western Region, various development projects are springing up to address the development deficits of Zongo communities. 

He commended, and informed on the need to observe the social distancing directives to curb the spread of the coronavirus in order to quickly return to normal lives through easing restrictions especially with the ban on social gathering.

He assured that consultations to lift the ban on social gatherings are ongoing and if things turn out better, he will surely permit religious activities and other social functions to resume within the week.

“It is vital that we continue to maintain the measures of enhanced hygiene and social distancing protocols to contain the spread of the virus, as they are the surest way to a quick return to a life of normalcy. Stakeholder consultations are taking place on the way forward towards the easing of restrictions so that our social and economic lives can go back to normal.

“I expect these consultations to conclude this week so that I can announce to Ghanaians a clear roadmap for easing the restrictions. We have to find a way back, but in safety, for we cannot be under these restrictions forever,” he ended.