Story: George Ernest Asare, Kumasi
THE American Ambassador to Ghana, Mrs Pamela E. Bridgwater, has called on the Muslim community in Ghana to initiate programmes that would actively involve women in the mainstream of decision making to enhance the building of a strong foundation that would facilitate the maintenance of peace, tolerance and socio-economic development in the country.
She gave the assurance that she would use her influence to support the provision of educational infrastructure in the Kumasi Metropolis as a way of building the capacity of women in particular and the youth in general, to enable them to contribute more meaningfully to sustainable development.
Mrs Bridgwater made the statement at a reception held at the Golden Tulip, Kumasi City on Monday for the leadership of the Muslim community in the Kumasi metropolis.
The reception was for her to bid farewell to the Muslim community in Kumasi, in appreciation of the good relationship that had existed between the American Embassy in Ghana and the Muslim community, since she assumed office three years ago.
Among the dignitaries who attended the reception were the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, his deputy, Mr Osei Asibey Antwi, the Deputy Chief Imam, Sheik Abdul Mumim Harun, President of the chiefs of the Zongo Community in Kumasi, Chief Ahmed Ibrahim, the Chief of the Moshie community in Kumasi, Alhassan Wahab and the President of the Ashanti Muslims Women Association (AMWA), Hajia Halematu Ibrahim.
The assurance by Mrs Bridgwater to support the education of Muslim women was in response to a request by Hajia Ibrahim, who personally asked the Ambassador to support the association to establish a university college to give more Muslim youth and women the opportunity of acquiring tertiary education.
This, she said, was to encourage them “ develop their potential and contribute more meaningfully to sustainable development in future”.
Hajia Ibrahim had earlier told Mrs Bridgwater that the association had acquired a large tract of land at Bobai, near Asokore Mampong in Kumasi, for the establishment of a university college to promote the education of women and the youth, but financial problems had militated against their desire to establish the university college.
Mrs Bridgwater pointed out that the deep and lasting friendship that had continued between the Muslim community in Ghana and the American people was meant to improve the “ lives of ordinary Muslims throughout Ghana”.
She explained that the construction of an Islamic Education Unit and a community centre at Nima, the establishment of an American corner in Tamale, where an ICT and Library facilities had been established for the youth to improve their knowledge in ICT programmes, as well as the construction of a clinic-the Sheikh Tawfiq Clinic, in Kumasi showed the importance of another facet of our partnership with the Muslim community.
Mrs Bridgwater made it clear that her office had sponsored a number of Muslim youth in Ghana to travel to America “ to experience American values, see how our large Muslim population worshipped in freedom, and witness the foundation of tolerance and compassion upon which our society is based”, and expressed satisfaction about the “ legacy of co-operation and friendship between the Muslim community in Ghana and the US Embassy”.
In his remarks, the Deputy Chief Imam, Sheik Abdul Mumim Harun, commended Ambassador Bridgwater for her initiatives that had established a strong bond between the Muslim community in Ghana and the American people.
He pointed out that the Islamic religion was established on a strong foundation of peace, and therefore congratulated Muslims in Ghana for accepting to live in peace and tranquillity with members of other religious bodies.
He said it was their intention to avoid anything that would create violence to undermine the peace being enjoyed in the country.
For his part, the Regional Minister, Mr E.A. Owusu Ansah, said Ghana was a secular state, where freedom of worship and association had been promoted over the years without any rancour.
No comments:
Post a Comment