<<Print>>

The Zongo Movement for Change (ZOMOC) has learnt with excitement the decision by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to establish a fund to help develop Zongo communities across the country, christened Zongo Development Fund (ZDF).

This progressive initiative was announced by Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Running Mate of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the 2016 elections during the NPP’s press conference on Wednesday December 2, 2015 to respond to the 2016 Budget Statement.

In spite of the abundance of talent, incredible human resource and hardworking people in Zongo communities, development has stagnated and Zongos remain some of the most under-developed parts of the country in terms of infrastructural and human resource development.

This unfortunate reality is not as a result of lack of effort by members of these communities, but it is the direct result of the complete neglect, deceit and failed promises by political leadership, coupled with a deliberate scheme and agenda to constantly exploit people in the Zongos for narrow objectives.

For ZOMOC, the need to prioritize and fast-track the development of Zongos and the incredible human resource in Zongos is long overdue and it is for this reason why this particular announcement last week is highly welcomed news for ZOMOC and the entirety of the Zongo populace.

ZOMOC also welcomes the Zongo Development Fund because the realization of such a vision will go in a long way to help in the development of Zongos which have been politically exploited by some political parties who have enjoyed immense support in the Zongos without any corresponding, tangible development to show.

The NPP’s proposal is a bold statement of intent and with the right legal frame work to back it ,should they come to power in 2016, will be an effective way of significantly ameliorating the stagnant development in Zongos and help transform the lives of the Zongo populace.

ZOMOC will like to also take the opportunity to laud the NPP for its plans to prioritise the exploration of minerals and oil in the North, as various studies have indicated an abundance of mineral resource in Northern Ghana but which remain untapped as a result of the failure of governments to prioritize the exploration and exploitation of such minerals as well as the failure to create an enabling environment to support the private sector to do so.  

This policy proposal by the NPP is a bold step and will be critical to transforming the North and bridging the divide between Northern Ghana and Southern Ghana, if realized and will provide a diversified source of employment and revenue for people of the North.

2016 GENERAL ELECTIONS

Ghana’s economic development has reached its nadir and campaigning towards the 2016 elections should be based on issues to give Ghanaians hope.

ZOMOC, therefore, lauds the NPP and Dr Bawumia for elevating discussions for the 2016 elections to issues and not irrelevant personality attacks. In an era where even some notable political leaders prefer to cast invectives on their political opponents for daring to criticize them, we can only commend Dr Bawumia for desisting from spewing invectives during his presentation.

ZOMOC is by this urging all other political parties to also come out with such proposals and stick to the relevant issues which will ultimately lead to the development of this nation and uplifting of our people from the clutches of poverty and deprivation.