Shia Muslims Pray For Mills

Quranic recital at the Rasoul Al-Akram mosque in Maamobi A special Muslim prayer has been held to ask for Allah's guidance, wisdom and courage for the Chief Executive of the land, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills.

In a goodwill message read on behalf of the National Chief Imam of Shia Muslims in Ghana, Hujjatul Islam Wal Muslimeen Sheikh Abdul Salam Abdul Hamid Bansi, by Zulkarnine Shaibu Molah, he noted that this was the time to “show our commitment to the President by praying for him to enable him perform creditably as the constitution of Ghana demands”.

At last Friday's Quranic recitation at the Rasoul Al-Akram Mosque in Maamobi, different age groups were sighted chanting verses from the Holy Quran.

The occasion was also used to thank Allah for seeing the country through a peaceful general election.

The Head of the Muslim sect observed that “we the Shia Muslim group during the elections urged Muslims to observe three days of fasting and prayer for peaceful elections”.

Irrespective of their sects and tribal affiliations, Sheikh Bansi said Muslims heeded the call and together, “we gathered in this mosque for prayers,” adding that “God in His infinite mercy accepted our prayers and we had a fair election without any obstacles”.

He appealed to government to include religious leaders in the decision-making process in order to assist him discharge his duties effectively and efficiently.

He however cautioned that as a people, “we must not transgress our own limits and rights” but exhibit benevolence and kindness towards one another.

To tackle corruption, bad conduct and social vices among Ghana's future leaders, Sheikh Bansi advocated that government included religious and moral education as a fundamental mechanism in all school curricula.

He again advised all Muslims and Ghanaians at large to bury their differences as they rally behind the President for the economic development of “our dear country”.  

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayawaso East, Hon. Mustapha Ahmed observed that even though the general election was peaceful, it did not come on a silver platter but through intercessionary prayers by both Christians and Muslims in the country.

He said for him, what Ghanaians ought to do now was to abide by the laws of the land, saying, “you do unto each other what is just and be tolerant of all political lineages”, explaining further that when these are done, “we will be proceeding on the path of development”.

The Greater Accra Regional Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Alhaji Yusuf Mamud hinted his party's plans to erect a Senior High School facility in the Nima-Maamobi zongo community while Arabic schools (Makaranta) are aligned to the School Feeding Programme.

He expressed the NDC's profound gratitude to the people of zongo since, according to him, without their votes and support, the party would still be in opposition.

By Nathaniel Y. Yankson