Iddi Muhayu-Deen writes…
Throughout
history, if there is one community in this country of ours that has suffered
the worst form of social and economic injustices, then certainly it is the
Zongo Community, which is one of the oldest in the country, if not the oldest.
I am a typical Zongo boy, having been born and bred in Zongo and I can tell you
without any shred of doubt that my people have been taken for granted for far
too long. Our plights do not matter to the people that matter.
And that is
why if you visited our Zongos, all you would see is an ugly spectacle
comprising social vices, marginalization, illiteracy, exploitation, violence
and misunderstanding, endemic poverty, stagnation, sanitation issues among
several societal ills. In fact, you would shudder to think that the Zongo
community is part of Ghana because of the huge developmental inequities. Once
you come from Zongo, you need to be extraordinary to be able to make it in
life. Yet, no one seems to care about this social injustice.
It is also a
truism that our politicians and for that matter successive governments over the
years, have done very little or nothing to better the lot of Zongo communities
in the country. This is in spite of the fact that these communities have
enormous potentials which could be utilized for accelerated growth and
development. These politicians only pay LIP SERVICE to Zongo development. Is
been talk, talk, talk and talk from the Nkrumah regime to Busia, to Acheampomg,
to Liman, to Rawlings, to Kufour, to Mills, and to Mahama.
In view of
this agelong disappointment, many a Ghanaian raised skepticism about the NPP’s
promise to drastically CHANGE the ZONGO NARRATIVE in the buildup to the 2016 polls
with a proposal to establish a Zongo Development Fund (ZDF). Some thought of
same as the deja vu and for that matter mere political talk, with our NDC
friends being the loudest critics. They pooh-poohed and bastardized the policy
even though they never provided any policy alternative to turn around the
fortunes of Zongos.
This
notwithstanding, the NPP, in an apparent show of its unwavering determination
to proving its critics wrong, dedicated two pages (66 and 67) of their
manifesto to talk extensively about the ZDF so that they can be held
accountable. And truly, after winning the elections, the party hasn’t abandoned
the policy. As we speak, the Zongo Development Fund (ZDF) is fully being
captured in the NPP’s first budget to be read later in March.
As
if that is not enough, the Akufo Addo-led NPP government has also created a
full Ministry for Zongo Development under the Office of the President to, inter
alia, administer the Zongo Development Fund, which is aimed at developing these
communities in order to unleash their potentials. The Fund would thus, be invested
in education and training within the Zongos. It would also be invested in
improved infrastructure in the Zongos targeting health and sanitation, as well as
support local businesses in the Zongos to grow and provide several job
opportunities.
What
is even more fascinating is the man appointed as the ‘Zongo Development
Minister’, Hon. Boniface Abubakar Saddique, who himself, is a typical “Zongo
boy”. Not just that, he is also somebody who led the NPP to do the seeming
impossibility by overturning over 11,000 vote difference to snatch the Madina
Parliamentary Seat from the NDC. Madina, as we all know, is a typical Zongo
Constituency, which is in fact, often referred to as the headquarters of Zongo
in the country.
So,
if there is anybody who understands the germane issues in our Zongos, then
certainly it is Hon. Boniface Abubakar Saddique, MP for Madina Constituency and
that is why everybody has welcomed his appointment as Minister of State in
charge of Inner Cities and Zongo Development as highly meritorious.
With this in
mind, you and I can be rest assured that, sooner than later, the Zongo story
would assume a positive dimension. We the people of Zongo would soon bid
farewell to several decades of neglect and hopelessness. Yes indeed, CHANGE has
come and the good people of Zongo shall soon feel this CHANGE for the love of
God and country INSHA ALLAH.
Assalamu
alaikum
IDDI
MUHAYU-DEEN
That Zongo
Boy
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