PNC TO EXPAND WOMEN & CHILDREN'S MINISTRY (PAGE 14)

THE flag bearer of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Dr Edward Mahama, has assured the Muslim community that when given the mandate to lead the country, he will establish a Ministry for Zongo, Women and Children’s Affairs.
He explained that that would enable his government to mainstream the economic enterprises and activities in the Muslim communities into the national development effort.
He said all past governments had not been able to compensate Muslims for their contribution to national development by bringing development to zongo communities such as Nima, Sukura, Maamobi and Madina.
Dr Mahama said the time had come for governments to pay particular attention to the welfare of Muslim communities and not to marginalise them.
He said Muslims assumed national importance only during election years, to the extent that two major parties in the country had engaged each other in a scuffle at the National Chief Imam’s residence.
He said the PNC leadership, therefore, decided to visit the Chief Imam at the mosque so that the party could receive the blessings of Allah for itself and the nation.
He said since 1996, three presidential candidates had consistently taken part in the elections of the country, with Rawlings and Kufuor being given the mandate to put their manifestos to practice.
Dr Mahama said it had now reached the turn of the PNC and urged Ghanaians to give the opportunity to his party to rule the country to better the lot of every sector of the society.
He said the PNC was the only party in the country that understood the needs of the Muslim community and would do its best to address the concerns of Muslims to enable them to contribute more to the development of the country.
The Member of Parliament for Sissala West, Mr Bayinga Haruna, who accompanied the flag bearer, said the PNC had been labelled a northern party to discourage people from joining its fold.
He, therefore, urged people of northern descent resident in different part of the country not to be deterred by their detractors and join the party in their numbers.
He said the PNC would continue the good work of Dr Kwame Nkrumah by making the Zongo communities a priority area by bringing development to those areas through comprehensive housing projects.
The Deputy Chief Imam, Sheik Kamarudeen Abubakar, led the Friday prayer and also held a Koran reading and prayer session for the nation, the PNC and its flag bearer.
Sheik Abubakar prayed for the President of the nation, asking for Allah’s blessings on the country before, during and after the elections.
Other PNC members who accompanied the flag bearer to the Friday prayer at the Abossey Okai Mosque included Messrs Moses Dani Baah, MP for Sissala East, and David Appasera, MP for Bolgatanga.