Mr Saddique made the call when a team from Access Bank Ghana, paid a courtesy call on him in his office to show their support for Muslims during this year’s Ramadan.

A statement signed by Madam Lydia Ayelsuma, the Media and Communication Officer at Access Bank Ghana Plc and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the Minister highlighted the important role the private sector had to play in providing basic economic empowerment to these communities.

In the statement, Mr Saddique indicated that persons living in the Zongo communities were hardworking individuals who would be able to turn their situation around to impact their families and other community members given the least opportunity.

The Minister said: “These are areas within our cities who have been excluded for a very a long time by nature of their settlement. To ensure we change this situation, we need to include them in the total integration of the nation’s development so that we can transform their living standards and let the Ghanaian economy benefit. This is why we are giving a special focus to them.” he noted.

Speaking on the Bank’s support to the Ministry, the Executive Director for Business Development, Mr Ifeanyi Njoku cited the Bank’s continuous contribution to addressing socio-economic needs of the communities in which the Bank operates.

He added that the Bank is committed to its objective of being an avenue to support Ghanaians achieve the nation’s economic development agenda  In line with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the team presented 100 bags of rice to the Ministry which would be distributed to deprived Muslim communities during this Ramadan.

The Bank complements its CSR activities through Employee Volunteering Programme. The Bank has a strong belief that the inclusion of employees in its CSR activities elicits a deep sense of fulfilment as well as building a strong advocacy for employee empowerment as a meaningful tool for national development.