The draft Bill on the Zongo Development Fund will be sent to Cabinet latest in weeks, Minister for Inner-City and Zongo Development, Alhaji Boniface Abubakar Saddique has announced.

He said, his Ministry is almost done with consulting key stakeholders in the Zongo communities to garner ideas on areas of priority for the Fund.

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.

Addressing the media in the Eastern Region capital, Koforidua after consultation meetings with the Zongo communities, Alhaji Abubakar Saddique said he will submit a report on his nationwide tour of Zongo communities at the Cabinet meeting.

“In the next 10 [days] to 2 weeks, I should complete [the report] and submit it before Cabinet. Then cabinet will submit it to the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General to convert everything into a legal language,” the Minister told the media.

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.

The recurring concerns emanating from the consultations so far are education, sanitation and health, the Minister noted.

He however indicated that, his Ministry will not employ the fire fighting strategy in solving the numerous problems within the Zongo communities but, will approach them tactically.