Vice President declares "Jihad"

Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Vice President, has said that the government's determination to lead the nation towards attaining the status of a middle level income country will not succeed unless the citizenry exhibit a high sense of discipline.

He therefore, submitted that the crusade against indiscipline, which he termed as "holy war" in all its forms and magnitude, must be a shared responsibility among the citizenry.

This was contained in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Rashid Bawa, Deputy Minister of Education at the 25th anniversary celebration and symposium of the Ashanti regional branch of Ghana Muslim Students Association (GMSA) in Kumasi on Sunday.

It was under the theme "The Ghanaian Muslim community and the challenges of globalization". Alhaji Aliu said the success of the government in wooing investors into the country depended so much on the kind of favourable environment the citizenry create.

He said it behoves on Ghanaians to show a national responsibility on the basis of sound cultural, religious and human values that are relevant to social growth and development in all generations.

The Vice President charged Ghanaians to nip in the bud practices such as disregard for authority and lawlessness and disorderliness, willful neglect of state duties, lateness to work without tangible reasons, defecating and urinating at unapproved places. This, he said, was the only way the country could be lifted from the doldrums of poverty.

Alhaji Aliu called on the nation's leaders to re-position themselves effectively as guides to the younger generation to facilitate long-term attitudinal changes to national issues that would guarantee a high sense of personal and sound discipline.

Parents should bring up their wards properly by inculcating in them the moral values of the nation. To the Muslim community, Alhaji Aliu advised them to cherish moral values and rid themselves of attitudes that have destructive consequences.

Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister observed that the Muslim community that used to be closed to avoidance of social vices has now been threatened because of globalisation.

He therefore, charged the participants to make a clear distinction between what is intrinsically bad and should be avoided. Alhaji Bin Yamin, Ashanti Regional President of GMSA, urged Muslim students to join the association so as to enable the youth to present a unifying force.