October 25, to be first day of Ramadan

Koforidua, Oct. 12, GNA- The National Ramadan Conference has decided that Friday, October 24 shall be the first day of the sighting of the new moon and when that happen, Saturday, October 25 shall be the first day of this year's Islamic Holy Ramadan fasting in Ghana. The Conference agreed that, if the moon was not sighted on October 24, Saturday, October 25 would still be maintain as the first day of this year's Ramadan fasting.

This was announced by the Helal Committee at the end of the 9th National Ramadan Conference, which was held at Koforidua on Saturday. In a speech read on behalf of the National Chief Imam, Alhaji Nuhu Sharabutu to mark the day, he condemned recent developments among some Muslim opinion leaders who intentionally concealed vital information in connection with the organisation of Islamic activities from their perceived rivals by refusing to release invitational letters to them. He described such practice as unfair and reminded those who had been engaging in such practices that it could sow seeds of disunity and discontent in the Muslim community and appealed to those involved to stop.

Alhaji Sharabutu reminded the Muslim leaders that it was only unity that would save the Muslims from being branded as barbarians and prayed for God's blessing for all.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Dr. Francis Osafo-Mensah, appealed to Muslims not to take the law into their own hands whenever people attempted to interfere with their freedom of worship but to exercise patience and allow the authorities to take appropriate actions on their behalf.

He appealed to Muslims to give their children especially the girls, formal education so that they would be abreast with modern technological developments.

Dr. Osafo-Mensah assured them that, with the establishment of the Islamic Education Unit, they need not fear that when they send their children to school, they would be indoctrinated to abandon the Islamic faith.

He prayed that the Ramadan fasting would bring peace and unity to Ghana especially among the Ghanaian brothers and sisters in the Northern Region and reminded the gathering that peace was the greatest asset to all mankind but could be elusive if care was not taken.

As part of the function a 100 million cedis Eastern Region Islamic Education Trust Fund was launched to raise money to offer scholarships to Muslim students to further their education.