A Muslim movement, Zongo For Mahama (ZFM), formed to further the aspirations of President John Mahama has been launched in Accra. The group says it is determined to deliver all the Zongo communities in Ghana for the president in the December polls. A group of eminent Muslims in the governing National Democratic Congress are spearheading the movement. Read below a statement presented at the launch of the movement by a founding member, Yusif Jajah. WELCOME ADDRESS AT THE LAUNCHING OF ZONGO FOR MAHAMA ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 2012 AT THE NIMA SOCIAL CENTRE Mr. Chairman; His Excellency Ghana’s Ambassador to Egypt Alhaji Saeed Sinare; Honorable Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State; the Special Aide to His Excellency the President of Ghana Alhaji Baba Laami; Chairman of Zongo For Mahama Honourable Alhaji Sofo Jajah; Members of the NDC and the NDC Zongo Caucus, the Media, Fellow Akatamansonians,Ladies and Gentlemen. It is with great joy and satisfaction that I stand before you this morning, on behalf of the Chairman and the members of Zongo for Mahama, to welcome you to the launching of this movement. Mr. Chairman, The Zongo for Mahama Group draws its membership from the main Zongo Communities across the country. It includes men and women who share in the vision of the NDC and its 2012 agenda, also known as MAHAMA FOR 2012. We are gathered here today in response to the call by thousands of our compatriots across the length and breadth of this country to once again demonstrate our appreciation to the NDC for all that it has done for our Zongo Communities since the dawn of multi-party democracy under the Fourth Republican Constitution. The NDC has proven has over the years that it is the party for the nation, not for a few, through infrastructural development, improved health care delivery, improved security, numerous social interventions in our Zongo Communities, and more. Mr chairman, the objectives of the Zongo For Mahama are very simple: First and foremost, our objective is to ensure that his Excellency John Dramani Mahama secures an overwhelming mandate from the people of Ghana, come December 7, 2012. Insha Allah, victory will come easily. As a group, we will reach out to all the 338 zongo communities across the Nation to ensure an effective mobilization of our rank and file members. We will educate them on matters relating to the elections and promote our presidential and parliamentary candidates. It’s our belief that when the parliamentary candidates do well in the polls, it will catapult our flag-bearer to victory. The key to our campaign is telling our story as it is. The NDC’s contributions to the welfare of the Zongo community are undisputed facts. We cannot forget that it was under president JJ Rawlings’ NDC administration that the Public Holiday Act was amended to legislate two public holidays for Muslims. We cannot forget the tireless effort the NDC government has made to facilitate the operations of the annual Hajj program, which at best could be described as a mess during the NPP era. The Hajj village, which was constructed by the NDC government, has provided comfort and dignity to would-be pilgrims over the past three years as they wait for their flight. We still remember how the NDC government managed to introduce circular education into our Makaranta schools to provide our youth the educations that were once unavailable to them. Mr. chairman, the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) is currently in operation and the government has committed a total of GHS 200,000,000 to it, as promised in our 2008 manifesto. These funds are expected to be applied in strategic areas in the savanna area to open it up and attract much-needed investment in the area to create jobs and new sources of income. At last count, over 5000 jobs have been created thanks to SADA in the last two years and more will follow in the coming years. For the first time in the history of this country, the government of the NDC has put in place a guarantee price for shea nuts just as is done for cocoa. This is expected to improve upon the livelihood of our women who work in the shea nut business. The shea nut processing plant, which was commissioned by H.E. John Dramani Mahama at Buipe, is employing hundreds of youth and adding value to the shear butter. These laudable achievements have resonated with our people and lifted thousands of people out of poverty. We can only express our thanks to the NDC government. As we strive to navigate phase two of the Better Ghana Agenda with Mahama as our leader and president, we are convinced that more initiatives and development projects shall be rolled out. As post-independence-born president, John Mahama gives us hope and confidence. We have seen how young and visionary leaders emerge on the global scene, such as Barak Obama, David Cameron, and Tony Blair to name a few. Having risen through the ranks as a member of parliament for 12 years, a deputy Minister/Minister of communication for four years, and Vice president for three and half years, it is only natural that the good people of Ghana give Mahama the opportunity to serve as president. (As the Ashantis say, “mu pe woi, na mu pe dien’’.) Mr. chairman, ladies and gentlemen, H.E president John Dramani Mahama will deliver on his promises, He will create jobs for the youth and promote the welfare of Muslim,s as we have already seen in years past. The NHIS will be strengthened to cope with the demands of citizens with an eye to improving the quality of our health care. Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, in welcoming you to this event, I should like to emphasize that Zongo For Mahama is a volunteer group whose membership is national in character and open to all well meaning Ghanaians who share in the vision of building a better Ghana. We are committed to peace and will therefore ensure that the Zongo Youth will not be cowed into any diabolical agenda of any cheap or war-mongering politician during the upcoming elections. We are determined to win the upcoming elections through hard work, not by any means necessary. LONG LIVE ZFM ! LONG LIVE JDM, LONG LIVE NDC, LONG LIVE GHANA. NDC YE, IDE BI KE’KE GOD BLESS You Thank you very much!