9.8 C
London
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Zongo development fund to be line item in 2017 budget – Nana Addo

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

The president-elect Nana Akufo Addo has reiterated his commitment to fulfilling his promise of establishing a Zongo development fund to assist the Muslim communities in the country.

This Zongo development fund will be captured in the incoming Nana Akufo-Addo administration’s first budget statement in 2017.

As a campaign promise, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has promised to establish a Zongo development fund to regenerate Zongo communities across the country.

Nana Addo, Zongo

Addressing Zongo Chiefs at his residence, Nana Akufo-Addo also debunked rumours of purported ill intent against the Zongos and the Muslim community, adding that we will lead the nation with a clean heart and encouraged Muslims to supplicate for him to lead the nation to success.

“In the first budget of the Akufo-Addo Presidency, there will be a line item in our budget that has never been there in any budget since independence in 1957 since today – the Zongo development fund.”

“I have no agenda against anybody, Zongo or anybody else in Ghana. The only agenda I have is how we can prosperity to all the people living in this country,” Nana Akufo Addo said.

Bawumia, Zongo

Skepticism from Muslim community

A Muslim community leader, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, has however expressed doubt that Zongo communities around the country will see any significant transformation under the incoming New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

Following the NPP’s election victory, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, who also doubles as the Spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, said things in the Zongo community might remain the same.

Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu

Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu

He suggested that the various governments have resorted to what he calls the culture of “tokenism” to exploit the Zongo communities for their benefit.

“Even the politicians themselves underrate the intelligence of our leaders and that is what explains the tokenism, the token approach to what they do to respond to the needs of the Muslim community. One of this is to dwell on giving Muslims bags of sugar and rice during Ramadan. As a Muslim community leader, I am looking forward to see how NPP will live up to its expectation.”

Photos: Sammi Wiafe

By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Latest news
Related news
- Advertisement -