The Ghanaian Minaret

Accra: Mallama Jamila Dawud, a Muslim scholar, has called on politicians of both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to put in place the needed reforms to end citizenship discrimination against Zongo communities.

The scholar, who is a Ghanaian by birth and a Zabarma by ethnicity, said people from Zongo communities are constantly intimidated and harassed when they present themselves to acquire national documents such as the voter’s identity card, passport, and national identification card.

She observed that less educated persons find it difficult to acquire documents, while others are forced to present false information to officers of public institutions.

“Sometimes you have to even lie. You are from Accra, but you will be forced to say you are from Bawku or Tamale. Why?” she queried

The scholar made the remarks when the Gender and Social Protection Committee of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) engaged Muslim women groups to discuss the party’s manifesto.

The activity was in line with party efforts to reach out to various stakeholder groups and create awareness on the party plans for developing the country.

Mallama Jamila also noted that hijab-observing Muslim women are constantly discriminated against as their mode of dressing has deprived them of the opportunity to work and serve their country.

“As I stand here, I am a public relations officer, but I can’t work in any organisation.

Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, Chairperson of the NDC Gender and Social Protection Committee, said the NDC is focused on putting together a people-centred manifesto.

Based on the needs of constituents, she said the NDC was looking to, among other things, review the Free SHS policy to improve education, introduce the Women Development Bank, the Soyaya Fund, and free tertiary education for first-year students.

She said the NDC was committed to operationalising the affirmative action through the promotion of women’s entrepreneurship and the appointment of women to occupy key positions in his government.

This, she said, would be implemented by ensuring that 20 out of 60 cabinet members will be women, while 30 percent of all appointments will be women.

The National Muslim Conference of Ghana (NMCG), led by Sheikh Usman Nuhu Sharubutu, presented the 14-point “Muslim Manifesto” to both the manifesto committees of the NDC and NPP in March this year.

Alhaji Mustapha Abubakar, a Member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), said it was important for Muslims to appreciate that the NDC, unlike the New Patriotic Party (NPP), had included 12 out of the 14 manifesto points Muslims presented to both the NDC and the NPP.

“Those who said that they have appointed a Muslim flagbearer who would steer the affairs of Muslims have included only two out of the 14 pointers Muslims gave them,” he said.

He said the NDC, as captured in its manifesto, was committed to, among other things, reducing hajj fare, seeking partnerships to build Islamic universities, and establishing senior high and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) schools within Zongo communities.

Alhaji Abubakar also cautioned against politicking on religious lines as it was ingenuine and divisive.

Hajia Safura Andani, President of the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Ghana (FOMWAG), who was the chairperson of the occasion, lamented the lack of involvement of Muslim women in the formulation and implementation of policies.

“We are always not there at the decision table. And a lot of decisions being taken do not factor our interests into consideration.

She called for unity among Muslim women to ensure that Ghanaian Muslim women have a collective voice and benefit fully from the recently passed affirmative action bill.

“They keep saying that policy is about numbers. Governance is about numbers. I don’t think we are in the minority of women groups, so it is important for us to be involved in decision-making,” she said.

Mallama Ida Jibril, a muslim scholar also urged the NDC to honour their promise to the Muslim and Zongo communities.