Vice President, Dr Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, has indicated of government’s determination to do more to improve the living condition of Ghanaians despite the challenging economical environment the country finds itself in and the skepticism of the government’s critics.
He said the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo led government would continue to pursue inclusive policies to benefit every citizen irrespective of their status.
“Inclusiveness brings harmony and the best way to achieve same is to bring development to all by thinking outside the box and come out with effective and transformational policies that benefit all.
“This has been our focus and commitment in-spite of the obstacles from pessimists at the implementation of socially beneficial policies.
“We are determined to do more to make things easier for Ghanaians and to create more opportunities for the youth inspite of the ongoing global economic situation,” Dr Bawumia said.
He gave this assurance in Accra on Saturday at a national Muslim prayer led by the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman NuhuSharubutu, to climax the one-month long dawn to sunset fasting of Ramadan.
The fast which culminates in the celebration of Eid-UlFitr is one of the five cardinal pillars of Islam; one of three Abrahimic religions.
According to Dr Bawumia, the government has been inspired by the spirit of inclusiveness as Islam teaches and in the past six years, inclusive policies have been pursued to embrace all Ghanaians.
Some of the policies he itemised included the national digital identity and property address system, mobile money interoperability, one constituency, one ambulance, free Senior High School, the Zongo Development Fund amongst others.
“Until six years ago, it has never happened that a national budget would have a special allocation for Zongo development.”
He said over the six years existence of the Fund, unprecedented infrastructure projects have been executed nationwide in the areas of education, health, sports development and sanitation amongst others.
In his view, the world is moving from analogue to digital platform; an area government was bent on taking advantage of, to holistically develop the country and its human resource.
Ghana, the Vice President said has been proactive in the digital space leapfrogging many of its African peers to take full advantage of the fourth industrial evolution.
He said as a youth centred government, over two million jobs, the biggest by any government since independence, have been created excluding those under planting for food and jobs and Nation Builders Corps.
He recommitted government to the education of the youth saying that literacy is linked to development and that if the youth gets educated, the country would be the ultimate beneficiary in years to come.
“The Koreans did it, Singapore did it, the Arabs have done it and Ghana can do it. It is possible and we can do it together,” he rallied the congregation.
The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, implored Ghanaians to continue to embrace diversity and cohesiveness to uphold the country’s vaunted peace and harmony.
As people from the same source of creation irrespective of religious belonging, the Chief Imam said it is a moral and religious injunction on all humans to live peacefully with each other.
The Chief Imam, who turned 104 years on Sunday, said as people, Ghanaians must be grateful and cherish the atmosphere of peace and protect same because other nations do have that experience as much as they may thirst for it.
“It is because we in Ghana here are applying God’s commandment because Allah has directed his call unto us to gather as members of the human community and that invitation has been directed to every one of us.
“All of us trace our origin to a common source and by his own design made us races and tribes in his own design and wisdom,” he explained.
He said per the teachings of the Holy Quran, even in the diversity of identity, humans must recognise and help each other because “you” trace your origin to a common source.
“Even though you are diverse, you must acknowledge and know each other. Your diversity should not give cause to confrontation and disputes.
“Don’t you see the beauty of how here in Ghana we live in harmony, Christians, Muslims and even the non-believers sitting around the same table to consult?
“This represents one of the greatest favours of Allah unto our nation, Ghana. Therefore, we must be grateful to him Allah,” he preached.
He said believers, Allah has not prevented his children from dealing with even atheist justly “provided they have not chased you out of your homes or prevented you from practicing your faith as indicated in the Holy Quran.
“Among you, the one who is most honourable, both in this world and the hereafter, is the one who takes care of Allah’s commandments. That is what Allah said in the Holy Quran.
“May Allah continue to enhance our peace and harmony and make our nation even more cohesive,” the Chief Imam said through his spokesperson, Sheikh AremeyawShaibu.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
