The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has reiterated the commitment of his government to pursuing goals and policies that ensure the inclusion of all segments of Ghanaians, irrespective of where they live.
According to President Akufo-Addo, he sought the Presidency in order specifically to make the sacrifices that are required to ensure the economic and social transformation of our country and its people.
“It is in pursuit of this objective of social inclusion that I established the Ministry of Inner City and Zongo Development. Our goal is to create a society of equal opportunities for all, and we shall not relent until we achieve it,” he added.
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The President made this known on Tuesday, 21st August, 2018, when he addressed Muslims at the Eid ul Adha celebrations, at the Independence Square, Accra.
A key component of the creation of a society of inclusion, President Akufo-Addo noted, is by ensuring that every Ghanaian child gets the opportunity of a lifetime to develop his or her potential.
“I know that seeking knowledge is considered a sacred duty in Islam. Our commitment to ensure that no Ghanaian child is left behind in the pursuit of knowledge should spur you, to actualise the admonishing of the Prophet Muhammad that knowledge is the lost property of a Muslim, and he or she should find it wherever he or she may,” he added.
Using the Hajj ritual as an analogy of how a society of inclusion should be built, President Akufo-Addo explained that during Hajj, all pilgrims wear the white apparel, of the same style and make.
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“Therefore, when we look at a sea of pilgrims, we are unable to distinguish the rich from the poor, the high from the low, and the powerful from the weak. Everybody assumes equality before the Lord,” he said.
The President continued, “In the same way, we are determined to ensure that the laws of our country do not discriminate against people under any circumstance.”
He assured the Muslim community that he will implement recommendations made by the Committee established to investigate the circumstances that led to the death of seven citizens of the Asawase community.
“Let me use the occasion of the Eid to renew my commitment to that pledge. Whilst we await the outcome of the Committee’s work, I urge the young men and women of Asawase to continue to exercise restraint and remain law abiding,” he added.
With Ghana needing people imbued with the character of the Prophet Ibrahim, President Akufo-Addo stated that the Ghanaian people need to build a nation of sacrifice.
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“The founding fathers of this nation sacrificed their all to gain for us our liberty. We have to sustain the gains that they made for this country through sacrifice. The story of Prophet Ibrahim must spur us to want to go the extra mile for our country,” he said.
The President continued, “I was born into a family, where sacrifice and service to others are considered a sacred duty. I to pledge to you that I shall continue to sacrifice my all to ensure that I leave a legacy of peace and progress for coming generations.”
He assured the Chief Imam that he will continue to admonish his appointees to cultivate the same spirit of sacrifice that spurred the country’s forebears to fight for Ghana’s liberation.
President Akufo-Addo used the occasion to introduce the new Minister for Inner City and Zongo Development, Sheikh Mustapha Abdul-Hamid.
“I am confident that the new Minister will continue with the impressive work undertaken so far by his predecessor, and ensure the fulfillment of our pledge of accelerating the pace of development, and the provision of essential social services to communities around our country in a manner that answers to the real needs of all our people,” he added.