-In Sections of Ghanaian Society

The President, Mr. John Dramani Mahama has expressed dismay at various attempts being put in place by some elements within the Ghanaian society to quickly label other Ghanaians as aliens or inferior.

Mr. John Dramani Mahama said it is unfortunate these days to hear some Ghanaians, mainly from a particular political formation declare some members of the Zongo communities as ‘non-Ghanaians’.

“...My first degree was in history and I know that Zongos existed in Ghana over hundreds of years before independence. And upon independence the constitution of Ghana established that anyone who found him or herself in the country before independence is automatically a Ghanaian.” The President stated. Mr. John Dramani Mahama, who was then vice-president of Ghana, made these remarks when he visited the Yankasa Association of USA (the largest and oldest Ghanaian Muslim community in the New York City) whiles in the US to wind-up his book launch and promotional tours across the United States recently. The four-city launch programme took Mr. Mahama to New York, Washington DC, Houston and Los Angeles. The conclusion of the USA launch coincided with the publication of the English version of the book, 'My First Coup D'etat' in paperback and now available in UK book stores and also a Brazilian Portuguese language version. Addressing members of the Yankasa Association of USA, the largest Ghanaian Muslim grouping in the New York City, President John Dramani Mahama called on Ghanaians to shun the creeping tribal bigotry.

The president also took the opportunity to talk about the recent criticism he received from a section of Ghanaians, mainly politicians, due to consideration given to science students of some deprived communities in Northern Ghana to study medicine in Cuba.

According to president Mahama, the doctor to patient ratio in the Upper East Region for example is one doctor to 38000 patients, hence the need to consider science students from these areas in order to reduce this whopping disparity. In his welcome address, the president of the Yankasa Association, Alhaji Muhammad Mardah commended Mr. John Mahama for his proposal to Traditional Councils in the country to include Zongo chiefs in the traditional make up in order to preserve and foster harmony and peaceful-coexistence.

Alhaji Muhammad Mardah was also full of praise for Mr. Mahama’s personal intervention and reconciliatory efforts in the recent Hohoe conflict between some Muslim youth and traditional authorities.