The National Chairman of the Zongo Political Groupings, Yahaya Alhassan, has formally announced his intention to contest the East Ayawaso seat on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Speaking at a ceremony in Nima, Mr Alhassan, who also serves as President of the New Ghana Social Justice Forum, stated that his decision is driven by a commitment to reshape political leadership within the Zongo communities and across Ghana. 

He emphasised that his long-standing advocacy for the voiceless in Zongo communities, extending to several parts of the country, “speaks for itself.”

Mr Alhassan described Parliament as a “sacred institution” and expressed concerns about the growing practice of candidates “swapping” constituencies for convenience. He called for legal reforms to prohibit such movements, stating his intention to pursue appropriate legal channels to prevent Parliament from becoming a “musical chairs arena.”

Advocacy

Mr Alhassan highlighted his years of activism and interventions in defence of marginalised groups, especially in the wake of the Ejura disturbances, following the killing of social activist Ibrahim “Kaaka” Mohammed.

His advocacy has contributed to securing compensation for victims, including Misbawu, whose case was brought to public light through the documentary campaign “Giving to the Dead and Abandoning the Living.”

The campaign underscored the heartbreaking contradiction of compensating the deceased while neglecting a living child now facing lifelong disability.

Mr Alhassan reaffirmed his resolve to continue championing justice, empowering the youth and promoting inclusive development.

His parliamentary bid, he said, is an extension of his lifelong work for community upliftment, accountability and social equity.
 

Championing peace

As Chairman of the National Coalition of Zongo Political Groupings, Mr Alhassan has spearheaded several community-based peace and educational programmes.

Notably, he collaborated with the United States Embassy in Accra to organise peace football matches between Kumasi Zongo and Accra Zongo youth, aimed at uniting communities and discouraging political vigilantism.

He noted that such initiatives have helped restore confidence, promote peace and strengthen nationwide advocacy for non-violence.