Zongo Boys Caution Ash NPP Regional Boss

A group calling itself Concerned Zongo Citizens is asking the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP F.F. Anto to apologise to the Zongo community for what it describes as “disparaging remarks “made about Zongo people on Radio Gold, an Accra FM station.

According to the group, the remarks by the NPP chairman that only people from the Zongos joined the NDC’s “Kafo didi” demonstration in Kumasi, smack of insult to the civic rights of the people of the Zongos.

Their statement signed by one Alhaji Hassan Pierre, contended that the remarks, which were repeated four times are “most unfortunate indeed, coming from a politician like him”. It said the remarks, probably implies that even the Ashanti Regional Chairman of NDC and the regional organiser who planned and led the demonstration are all Zongo people but not Ashantis or Akans.

The group emphasised that such erroneous comments must not be allowed to corrupt the democratic dispensation and cautioned that it will not play second fiddle to any community, group, tribe or political party in the country. To set the records straight and serve as a guide to future statements on people living in Zongo communities the group insisted that “first of all, the march started at Adum in the Subin Constituency of Kumasi and not from any of the Zongos in the metropolis.”

They also maintain that the demonstrators passed through Asafo before ending at the Zongo area, precisely Jackson Park and that long before their arrival, the park had already been packed by people”. “His assertion that Zongo people were bussed from Techiman and Ejura areas to join the march is never true. For a fact, typical Zongo drums that usually accompany gatherings of this nature, were conspicuously absent in this particular event. This shows the crowd was composed of people from all walks of life irrespective of tribal or religious persuasions”.

The statement questioned whether Zongo people do not have the right to join any party or assembly of their choice? “Don’t Zongo people have the right to demonstrate if they are feeling the pinch of the economic hardship now engulfing Ghana?” They hoped Mr. Anto had not forgotten that in the 2000 General Elections, Vice President Aliu Mahama campaigned vigorously in all the Zongos and had a lot of support to help them win the election citing the Ayawaso East Constituency (Nima) where Prof. Mills polled 33545 with Mr. Kufuor polling 26854 in the first round as a classic example.

They also pointed out that in the second round when the NPP “used Aliu to pose as their Zongo brother to canvass for votes in the mosques, the results changed dramatically in their favour by almost the same margin. Recalling such Zongo stalwarts as Alhaji Amadu Baba, Baba Mailafia and Mallam Alfa Ladan who were deported out of Ghana by the CPP government because of their strong support and activities for the Danquah Busia tradition as well as the Mallam Tulas and Mallam Gedel, the concerned Zongo brethren reminded Mr. Anto that the history of the Danquah-Busia tradition is replete with the good people of the country’s Zongos.