The Ghanaian Minaret

Accra: The Federation of Muslim Women in Ghana (FOMWAG) has initiated a fund-raising campaign to raise over $5million for the completion of its school project at Achiaman in the Greater Accra region.

The educational complex when completed is to serve as a centre for learning excellence for Muslim girls which provides a conducive atmosphere for pursuing holistic education without religious compromises or discrimination.

Facilities to be put up on the 6-acres land include an administration block, staff quarters, a mosque, classrooms, library among others.

At the launch of the campaign, Dr Fatimatu Sulemana, a founding member of FOMWAG said it had been 11 years since the Muslim women group had procured the land.

She said, the delay in putting up structures on the land has led to incessant encroachment which FOMWAG intends to curb by erecting a wall to protect the remaining land.

She indicated that supporting the project was about securing the future of the Muslim girls by improving literacy within the Muslim communities and eliminating stereotypes against Muslim women.

Highlighting the relevance of the project, Hajia Aisha Khidir Adam an educationist, founder and director of the Iqra Educational Centre of Schools said the pursuit of secular education should not be the basis for Muslims to compromise their faith.

She observed that most Muslim girls who pursue secular education in non-Muslim educational environment are often compelled to neglect their faith through immodest dressing, abandoning of prayers, uncontrolled mixing with the other gender, attending religious services that do not conform to their religious practice among others.

“Why can’t we have a holistic education without compromising any aspect of our faith so as not to inhibit our contribution to society?

“So, I expect that as a community we encourage holistic education, and by holistic education, I mean education of the mind and soul,” she said.

Mr. Umar Sanda, Former Ambassador of Ghana to Egypt and former Chief Imam of the Ghana Armed Forces urged FOMWAG to engage benevolent international organizations to finance some of their charitable projects.

Dr. Haruna Zagoon Sayeed, a lecturer at University of Ghana called on stakeholders including donors to adopt a collaborative approach towards the realisation of putting up a model school for the Muslim community.

At the end of the event, an amount of GHS120,000 was raised for the project