The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo has said the economy is recovering faster and better than many countries due to good management, in spite of the hardships COVID- 19 placed on the world.
He said, Ghana would resume the strong growth that characterized the development of our economy in the period 2017 to 2020.
“That is the immediate pre-COVID era. Even in the face of the pandemic, we have remained faithful to our flagship programmes, and to all our commitments to the Ghanaian people. I am, thus, appealing especially to our young people to keep the faith. We shall weather the storm together, and create the conditions that will allow you to realise your God-given potentials,”he said.
He was speaking at the end of EidUl-Fitr celebration yesterday.
According to the President,with strict adherence to the COVID protocols and a successful nationwide vaccination exercise, Ghana shall celebrate next year’s Eid and all other religious festivals as has been done traditionally over the years.
Religious tolerance
He said, Eidul-Fitr day must give Ghanaians an occasion to remind themselves that the national constitution guarantees freedom of worship for all its citizens.
He said “It is also probably worth pointing out that religious tolerance in our country did not emerge from formal law enforcement or from the Constitution for that matter. It is one of the admirable features of the Ghanaian that we have always had respect for each other’s belief systems. We should be proud that our national Constitution simply reinforces these characteristics, and it should, therefore, be easy for us to uphold these basic and fundamental tenets that hold us together.”
He also commented on ongoing developments in schools and indicated that, the boarding schools in the country have traditionally served as the training grounds in learning about each other, about tolerance and losing the fear of the unknown.
“That is where young Ghanaians learn to eat each other’s food that is where they learn the songs and dances of the different parts of the country, that is where they learn about each other’s religions and that is where lifelong friendships are forged. These schools must necessarily have rules and regulations that enable them to function. It would be a strange child that did not find some school rules irksome and then look back on them with fond nostalgia in later life,” he said.
The President averred that schools have evolved and adapted their practices to suit the times, and urged that the country do not turn them into the places to fight ideological and religious battles.
He said, our young people deserve a peaceful atmosphere to be able to deal with the many challenges of studying and acquiring knowledge and parents must have a keen interest in the schools into whose care they entrust their children.
“I plead with all of us that we keep to the tolerance that has served us so well in matters of religion. I am happy to state that, in the specific case of the incident at one of our greatest schools, Wesley Girls High School, which has given rise to the recent discourse on religion, the authorities, i.e., the Ministry of Education, under its new Minister, Hon. Dr Yaw Adutwum, Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, the leaders of the Christian and Muslim Communities, and the leadership of the School, are engaged in solemn discussions about the way forward, and I am very hopeful that a satisfactory solution will be found for one and all.”
Zongo Development Fund
The Zongo Development Fund, which has been the instrument for the transformation of Zongo communities, he indicated is as vibrant as ever and focused on the Zongo Transformation Agenda.
He urged Muslims to celebrate with caution and be mindful also that the COVID pandemic is still with us, and respect strictly all the COVID protocols. Act responsibly, and let us not trigger another spike in the COVID infections.
