Saltpond (C/R), Oct 4, GNA - Madam Khadeeja Abdul Ganiyu, Headmistress of Al-Zakiya Islamic School at Saltpond Zongo has appealed to government to bridge the education gap between the Zongo community and other communities.

Speaking at the installation of Alhaji Ahmed Ben Mahmood, a Principal Technician at the Ankaful Psychiatrist Hospital as the new Sarikin Zongo of Saltpond, Madam Ganiyu expressed concern about the deprivation and lack of facilities in Zongo areas. Alhaji Ben Mahmood who was installed under the stool name Mama Nomabo V, succeeded his father who ruled for 15 years. Madam Ganiyu said since the people in the Zongo communities were also Ghanaians they must be given the same facilities as people in the non-Zongo areas, stressing that "Discrimination against Zongo communities must stop in our Better Ghana dispensation." Mr Henry Kweku Hayfron, Mfantseman Municipal Chief Executive, commended residents of the Zongo for the peaceful manner the "Sariki" or chief was installed.

He also praised them for establishing a school in the community to cater for the educational needs of their children and urged them to ensure that the children were enrolled in the school. The MCE assured them that the Assembly would not discriminate against them but would provide them with their fair share of development. Mr Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, Member of Parliament for Mfantseman West, urged Ghanaians to rekindle the communal spirit to reduce the cost of projects allocated to their areas. The MP expressed concern about the manner the youth had been showing disregard for their elders and said if a solution was not found to the problem it would create anarchy in the society. He said the school project being constructed in the Zongo community would be completed by February 2011, and appealed to the people to rally behind the Government of President J.E.A. Mills. Mr Quansah advised the new chief to be tolerant to the views of his people and urged him to be development-oriented. Superintendent Emmanuel Odonkor, Saltpond District Police Commander, appealed to parents to either give their children good education or equip them with employable skills to make them useful citizens.

The Police Commander noted that crime was on the increase because most of the youth did not have either good education or employable skills to make them enter the job market. Sariki Nomabo thanked the people for the honour done him and assured them of dedicated service. He said he would make education the axis on which his development programmes would revolve.