The National Executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Zongo Caucus on Saturday toured parts of the Eastern Region to educate zongo communities on the party’s manifesto and President John Dramani Mahama’s vision for zongo dwellers.
They visited the Aburi/Nsawam, Upper West Akim, Lower West Akim and Suhum Constituencies.
The tour was part of the Caucus’ planned visits to all zongo communities in the country to educate them on President Mahama vision and to win more votes for the NDC in Election 2012.
Alhaji Yussif Captain, National Coordinator of the Zongo Caucus, who led the delegation, said the NDC as a party upholds the dignity of Muslims and the people in the country's zongos.
He said the NDC established the Islamic Education Unit to improve education in Muslim communities, especially zongo's adding, "It was the Party that made Edhul Fitr and Edhul Adhar.public holdays"
Alhaji Yussif said the NDC led by late President John Evans Atta Mills was from since 2009 paying Arabic teachers through the National Youth Employment Program to encourage them in the teaching of Islam as Ghana's Constitution permit the practice of every religion.
He said President Mahama was raised in the Zongo Community in Kanda in the Greater Accra Region and that there was the need to vote for him as he knows the existing problems of the people of living in zongo communities.
Alhaji Captain said many supporters of the NDC in the Zongo communities were passive and called on them to vote massively for the NDC in this year’s election, adding, "We have done it before, and we can do it again."
Alhaji Bawa Ismael, Former Member of Parliament for Ablekuma Central in the Greater Accra Region and Executive Member of the Caucus, said the NDC government had reduced and stabilized inflation to a single digit and that this was a history lesson in Ghana's economics and democracy.
He said the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) free Senior High School (SHS) policy was impossible and that the government in its quest to prioritize education was currently providing free school uniforms, exercise books, increase the capitation grant by 50 per cent and also expand the School Feeding Programme to reach more deprived school.
Alhaji Ismael said education remained the bedrock for development, and government was ensuring that basic education became accessible to all Ghanaian children.
Alhaji Yussif Osman, Eastern Regional Co-coordinator of the Caucus said President Mahama was a peaceful man and was always preaching peace in all his campaigns, adding , "God has already chosen President Mahama because he is a peaceful person and not a person who want to be President through bloodshed as amplified in other people's rallying cry; 'all die-be-dies'.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Akuapim South, Mr Mark Dompeh Amoako, said the NDC was on its way to victory through the programmes that it had implemented since 2009.
He said the projects implemented by the Municipal Assembly by the NDC in its three and half years of governance was far better than the eight years of the NPP under former President John Agyekum Kuffour.
At Adieso, Mallam Yahaya Abdul-Karim, Imam of the Zongo Community, said the community would always vote for the NDC, adding, "In every election, we vote the NDC 99 per cent, this year, it is going to be 100 per cent"
Mr Aminu Issah, Constituency Organizer of Lower West Akim, said no political party could win elections in the country without the support of the zongo community.
Alhaji Yussif Abubakari, Suhum Constituency Coordinator of the Caucus, noted that the caucus' initiative to educate people living in zongo communities on the Party's manifesto was in the right direction, adding, "We need to educate our people on the programmes and projects that are executed, on-going and those in the pipeline."