[ 2017-10-12 ]

Inner-City and Zongo Development Minister, Boniface Abubakar Saddique

Gov’t withdraws Zongo Development Fund bill
The government has withdrawn the Zongo Development
Fund bill from Parliament for further
consideration.

This was made known on the floor of Parliament by
the Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary
Affairs, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, on Wednesday.

“The bill in its current state was found to have
been a bit problematic, hence, the decision to
withdraw it,” he told the House.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) prior to the 2016
elections promised to establish the Zongo
Development Fund (ZDF) to develop Muslim
communities across the country.

At a forum with one of the Zongo communities, the
Minister for Inner-City and Zongo Development,
Boniface Abubakar Saddique announced that the
draft bill was to be sent to Cabinet for
deliberations.

He disclosed that his Ministry was almost done
with consulting key stakeholders in the Zongo
communities to garner ideas on areas of priority
for the Fund.

“Cabinet will submit it to the Minister for
Justice and Attorney-General to convert everything
into a legal language,” the Minister told the
media then.

He said the government is of the belief that,
Muslim dominated communities – popularly called
Zongos – can be viable tourist attractions when
a deliberate effort is made to develop them.

He expressed optimism that, the Bill when laid
before Parliament, will not face any major
setbacks.

“I don’t think we will have serious challenges
when the Bill is laid before Parliament. And as
soon as Parliament approves it, Ghanaians will
begin to see the fruits of the Zongo Development
Fund,” he assured.

However, the bill has been
withdrawn for further consideration after it
was sent to Parliament for approval. 

Mr Mensah-Bonsu said the bill would be relaid
after consultations with the Committee on
Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs.

Source - Myjoyonline.com

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