Muslim cleric Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu, has said he is now convinced President Akufo Addo’s campaign promise to transform Zongo communities in the country is feasible.
The NPP promised to develop Zongos which are often characterized by insanitary conditions and poorly planned neighborhoods with high unemployment as well as crime rates.
Sheikh Shaibu in an earlier interview with Citi News cast doubts over Nana Addo’s promise, arguing that both the NDC and the NPP had previously failed on their promises.
However, following Nana Addo’s creation of the portfolio to deal with the Zongos and inner cities, the Sheikh says he is now optimistic.
“I think we have moved now beyond just a promise to the level of giving action to the point where it is put into effect because the first one was just a promise of a fund to be created, but the fact that a ministry has been created means that the Ministry will be given a mandate, and the Ministry will be given the resources to be able to implement that promise so it moves from just a mere promise to action.”
He is confident the Minister nominee Boniface Abubakar Siddique, has what it takes to deliver on the promise.
“I’m more than confident because he is somebody I know. He himself is a Zongo breed and he knows our challenges.”
He however called for broader consultations to be held to determine how challenges facing the Zongo communities can be resolved.
“There must be broad consultations to determine what are the priority areas and the issue of sustainability are areas that we want to look at. My expectation is that this Ministry will facilitate accelerated development. The focus that I am expecting should be in the area of education.”
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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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