We’ll Transform Zongos, Inner Cities — Minister

The Minister of Inner-Cities and Zongo Development, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has said the government will make a significant positive impact in the Zongo communities and inner cities, with priority on education.

He said transforming all the 1,080 Zongo communities and inner-cities required a long-term development plan but gave an assurance that the government would make a substantial impact.

Tour

He gave an assurance in Accra yesterday when he visited the National Council of Zongo Chiefs, the Ghana Muslim Mission and some inner-cities at separate locations in Accra as part of his familiarisation tour as the new sector minister.

He said the tour was also to pay homage to traditional and religious leaders, as well as solicit their support and partnership to help deliver on the national transformational agenda for inner-cities and Zongos.

It was also to offer him the forum to hear from the people about their needs to enable the ministry to include them in its development plan to ensure that the interventions met the needs of the Zongos and inner-cities.

Dr Abdul-Hamid emphasised that all inner-cities and Zongos would be given the same priority in terms of development projects because their challenges were similar, but noted that education would be the focus of the ministry’s development and transformational agenda.

“But for education, I would not be what I am today. I am sure that the destiny of most people the inner-cities and Zongos lies in education,” he said.

Pledge

The National Council of Zongo Chiefs, the Ghana Muslim Mission and others pledged their support for the minister.

The Public Relations Officer of the council, Chief Baba Issah, commended the minister and the government for mainstreaming Zongos and inner-cities in its development agenda.

“The council has become a unifying force for all northern communities in Accra and other big cities and is ready to use its platform to support you to deliver effectively on your mandate,” he said.

The Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the Ghana Muslim Mission, Nii Okai Aryee, commended the minister for prioritising education and pledged the mission’s support for him.

Source: Graphic Online