According to him, all forms of negativesacts and social vices can be drastically reduced through prayers and change of altitude.

Mr. Rockson made these remarks when he paid a courtesy call on the Muslim community in Bolgatanga, and the Regional chief Iman Yussif Adam. He also donated some assorted items to support the end of the fasting.

Mr. Rockson urged Muslims in the region to pray against the incessant armed robbery and the emerging lynching of vulnerable persons accused of witchcraft.

“I am appealing to the Muslim community in the Upper East Region to pray for the nation and this region particularly against chieftaincy and land disputes. They(Muslims) should also pray for a change of heart and attitude of our youth to curb teenage pregnancies, drug abuse and all other forms of indiscipline in order to minimize the impact of these negative acts on our development agenda”.

Mr. Rockson impressed on Muslims to support government’s fight against the smuggling of improved seeds and fertilizers across neighboring countries to ensure government’s Planting for Food and Jobs programme succeeds.

He entreated  Muslims to embrace the NPP’s government pro-poor interventions such as the Free Senior High School policy, Planting for food and Jobs programme and the Zongo development fund.

He impressed on the youth to eschew all forms of acts that disturb the peace of the country and take their education seriously to be better persons in future.

The Regional chief Imam, Yussif Adam, expressed appreciation for the minister’s visit, adding that, the period of Ramadan has always been dedicated to praying for peace and development of the country.

He however proposed on behalf of the Muslim community in Bolgatanga to use their share  of the Zongo development fund to secure a graveyard for the burial of their departed ones.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Dates are traditionally the first things Muslims eat when they break the Ramadan fast each evening.

The dates were intended for people who had fled their homes because of the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency.

Nigeria’s foreign ministry said an investigation was underway. However, no arrests have yet been made.

The foreign ministry said that Nigeria’s Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons had drawn up a list of places where the dates would be distributed, which included IDP camps and some prominent mosques.

The dates were found on sale in markets in Borno state, which has been hardest hit by the Boko Haram conflict.

After eight years of unrest, some 8.5 million people need life-saving aid in north-eastern Nigeria, aid officials say.

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Source: BBC

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He has thus called for collaboration from Muslims, chiefs and people of the Brong Ahafo Region to enable them execute all the interventions in a sustainable manner for the benefit of all.

He called for prayers from the Muslim community for the government.

Dr. Bawumia made the appeal in separate interactions with some prominent religious leaders in the Brong Ahafo Region as part of his Ramadan tour of some regions in the country. His tour in the region, has taken him to Kintampo, Techiman and Sunyani, the regional capital.

He explained government was putting in place measures for a smooth take off of its initiatives to turn the fortunes of the country around, and called on Ghanaians to partner the government for its success.

The Vice President re-echoed the credentials and desire of President Nana Akuffo Addo to develop Zongo communities in the country where the majority of Muslims live, but lacks development, and therefore pledged to establish the Zongo Development Fund as captured in the party’s manifesto.

“The Zongo Development Fund is one of the initiatives to develop our deprived communities and help us bridge the developmental gap amongst communities. It has never happened in Ghana here since 1957. People in communities to benefit from the fund will drive the developmental initiatives and areas to be developed or where the fund will be invested. In fulfillment of our pledge, in our first budget, we have allocated 219 million Ghana Cedis. It’s not a small amount and next month officials will be coming around to conduct needs assessments”, he opined.

He said government policy of making Arabic studies at the basic level optional and examinable, study of French and Free Senior High School, are aimed at addressing the challenge of language barrier in dealing with neighboring countries.

According to him, all necessary arrangements have been put in place to ensure that this year’s Hajj Pilgrimage will be incident-free, and wished all pilgrims well on their trip to the Holy land.

“After Ramadan, we will be to perform Hajj, and I wish all those going a safe trip. For this year, there are some changes to the arrangements to bring relief to pilgrims. Six flights will depart from Tamale and seven from Accra. Because of your suffering during the Hajj, the government has arranged for pilgrims to be fed for three days in Madina, buses to transport people especially the elderly, and due to long wait for flights in Jeddah, we have also arranged for you to be fed whilst waiting for your flights”, he announced.

The Vice President commended the chiefs and religious leaders for their prayers, and for voting for the NPP, and appealed to them to continue to pray and build bridges for peace and harmony in their respective jurisdictions for development.

The Chief of Wangara Communities in Kintampo, Sariki Fanyinama, in his welcome address commended Dr. Bawumia and government for appreciating the contribution of Muslims to the country’s development.

He charged Muslims especially the youth to emulate the humility of Dr. Bawumia, which he said serves as shining example in their localities.

The Brong Ahafo Regional Chief Imam, Sheikh Umar Abdul Kadiri, commended government for initiating programmes to address poverty and unemployment in the country, and pledged their support for government’s development agenda.

He prayed for peace, unity and abundant blessing for the nation in this Holy month of Ramadan, and tasked the Muslim community to be each other’s keeper for the blessings of Allah to manifest in the country’s development.

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By: Mashoud Kombat/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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He said the role of religious leaders in nation building could not be underestimated, hence his call. Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia was in the Northern Region as part of his nationwide Ramadan fellowship tour.

[contextly_sidebar id=”YCCdi2u8R25PLPPN5rkaQ4zYVhxuNBCw”] He visited Hajia Mariam Alolo Islamic Institute at Sabonjida, and later networked with some Muslim Clerics at the Regional Coordinating Council.

He praised them for their spiritual guidance and counselling required for national coherence, and said the government was committed to funding Arabic education in line with circular tutelage.

Dr. Alhaji Bawumia promised to give Hajia Mariam Alolo’s Arabic Institute a pickup vehicle, and help solve their myriad problems upon the management’s request.

A Deputy Instructor of the Institute, Hajia Ayi, praised Allah for crowning Dr. Alhaji Bawumia as the Veep.

“Allah has answered our prayers for making Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia the vice-President of the Republic of Ghana. This is a blessing to the Muslim community in Ghana.”

Kumbungu chief’s palace

Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia also paid a courtesy call on the chief of Kumbungu at his palace.

He reaffirmed government’s commitment to fulfill its 2016 campaign promises including the “One village-one dam, one district-one factory and free SHS policies.”

The Vice President promised farmers of subsidized fertilizer and affordable farm implements needed to improve food security.

Kumbungu Naa Iddrisu Abu admonished government to give the district a major facilitate. He mentioned good road network, staff bungalows and expansion of infrastructure at the Kumbungu Senior High School as some of the priority projects.

Kumbungu Naa Iddrisu Abu also appealed to government to build a modern health facility there.

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The food items included rice, sugar and mats to support them during the period.

Mr. Bawa said the significance of Ramadan in praying for the Bongo District and its development underpinned his support for Muslims in the district as they make amends with  Allah.

Mr. Bawa said this when he presented the items.

“Ramadan in Islam is the period where Muslims fast and ask for purity. It is also the time when Muslims pray for God’s intervention in the activities of men in the  District. So I came to present these items to them to support and facilitate their spiritual activity and ask for prayers for the development of the District and the constituency” Mr. Bawa noted.

He used the opportunity to condemn the unfortunate growing trend of mob action in the country, and urged Muslims to use to period of Ramadan to educate the youth to refrain from such barbaric acts.

Mr. Bawa noted that, mob action is common in the North as person accused of stealing and witchcraft are often attacked, adding that, mob action can only stop if the security and justice agencies can command the trust of Ghanaians.

“…And I will continue to appeal to the police that, these mob actions will continue to happen unless people begin to trust security agencies and the agencies that take care of justice in our country. Let me appeal to the police that, when they hand over these suspects, they should do thorough investigations, and if the need is to prosecute the suspects, it should be done, so that people will begin to have confidence in state institutions and  the lynching of people will stop.”

Mr. Sulemana Asanka, who received the items on behalf of the District Imam, expressed gratitude for the kind gesture.

He prayed against all forms of negativity in the district and asked Allah for the progress and development of the district. He said, the period will be used to sensitize the youth against all forms of violence especially mob actions and other social vices.

Mr. Asanka said the donation of the items was timely, and that every Muslim in the district will receive the rice and sugar to support themselves during the period of Ramadan.

He bemoaned the neglect of the district in the selection of Muslims for Hajj, and appealed to the government to get the Muslim community in Bongo District a slot to Mecca for Hajj this year.

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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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As an annual ritual known as “Erzak” organized during Ramadan, the beneficiaries within the Eastern Corridor enclave received food items, beverages, gallons of cooking oil among other valuables.

HUDAI’s General Coordinator resident in Ghana, Selman Ozpinar, supervised the distribution which lasted for several days.

He posited that, some concerned Turkish philanthropists put the donation together for onward distribution to the needy.

Selman Ozpinar called for incessant prayers for Turkey to attain its goal of joining the league of the world’s economic superpowers.

As a philanthropic organization, the Human Development Association International (HUDAI) has so far drilled several boreholes in the Northern Region.

The beneficiary districts are Zabzugu 6, Savelugu/ Nantong and Kumbungu districts 7 and Tamale Metropolis 2, among others.

The organization is funding the building of Ghana’s national Mosque at Kanda, Accra, near the Flag Staff House.

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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This move by the minister and the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council is to support the Muslim community seek for spiritual guidance and prayer for the country as they begin their fasting.

Speaking at the short ceremony at Koforidua Zongo, the Minister emphasized the importance of Islamic religion to the development of the nation, spiritually and socially.

He said, “these items are going to assist you all our brothers and sisters, especially those in need as they embark on this spiritual exercise”

Mr. Darfour thus called on them to continuously pray for the country and the president of the Republic.

“I will plead with you to remember our president His Excellency Nana Akuffo Addo in your prayers as you fast, he needs your prayers to help him govern this country well, as he has a huge vision for this country, I believe with your prayers and God’s guidance he will fulfill all the promises he made to bring back happiness to this country.”

The second deputy Chief Imam, Alhaji Omar Farrouk, who received the items on behalf of the Muslim community, was very much appreciative, and thanked the Regional Minister and the Regional Coordinating Council for the gesture,and promised to pray for region and the country as a whole.

“I receive these items on behalf of my Muslim brother’s and sisters, we are very much happy you have thought about us and our well-being. These items will go along way to aid us in our fast and we will cease the opportunity to pray for the Eastern Region and the entire nation for us continue to live in peace and harmony.”
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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post E/R Minister supports Muslims’ fast with bags of rice, sugar appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Vice President , in his Ramadan message also asked Muslims to pray for Ghana.

Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief.

This annual observance is regarded as one of the five pillars of Islam.

Giving reasons for marking the event, the Vice President explained that “the rich and powerful go through the experience that the hungry and weak go through [during Ramandan] so that they develop empathy for weak and hungry and gratitude for the bountiful blessings of God.”

He further indicated that Muslims are expected to “exercise self-restraint” during the period.

The Vice President’s full message is below

I would like to extend my warmest felicitations to the Muslim Ummah in Ghana and around the globe on the occasion of the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.

An occasion which heralds the twenty-nine day period of fasting when Muslims are expected to exercise self-restraint.
Ramadan is a period of great sacrifice, patient endurance and gratitude. It inspires in us the common values and experiences we share as human beings.

The rich and powerful go through the experience that the hungry and weak go through so that they develop empathy for weak and hungry and gratitude for the bountiful blessings of God.

As we mark this auspicious month, may we all (Muslims as well as Christians), rededicate ourselves to the universal human values of love, humility, empathy for others and thankfulness for the blessings of God.

Let us pray for our dear country Ghana. I wish you a blessed month. May Allah’s peace be upon us all.
Ramadan Mubarak!

~ Dr. Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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