Muslim journalists advised to build their capacities

Ashanti Regional NPP Nasara Co-ordinator, Alhaji Salim Bamba, has urged Muslim journalists to build their capacities to enable them report challenges facing Zongo communities effectively and accurately.

Speaking at a meeting with members of the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana Muslim Journalists Association (GMJA) in Kumasi, Alhaji Bamba said that was the only way Muslim journalists could do to assist their people in Zongo communities to live better lives.

"They should identify themselves with the problems at the Zongo communities and work towards highlighting them to attract the needed response and action.

They should also work to mobilize the people in Zongo communities to be alive with their rights and responsibilities and encourage them to actively participate in activities that would help improve their living conditions and promote their welfare," he added.

He said issues facing Zongo communities were varied and complex and it was important for journalists to understand the issues to put them in perspective to attract response and action.

Alhaji Bamba said the meeting which was the first of its kind would help bring the media and institutions charged to work to improve living conditions in Zongo communities together to find better ways to address some of the challenges facing Zongo communities.

He said, the government had initiated a number of programmes and projects to improve living conditions in Zongo communities and reduce the development gap with the rest of the cities and called for support to ensure the realization of these initiatives.

Mr Muyid Deen Suleman, who led the delegation, said the purpose of the meeting was for the members to interact with leadership in Zongo communities to get firsthand information to enable them report accurately on issues facing Zongo communities.

He pointed out that the era of ceremonial leadership in Zongo communities should be a thing of the past.

Zongo leaders should now work closely with state institutions to develop effective policies and plans that would help improve the living conditions of people in Zongo communities.

Mr Suleman said the GMJA which was formed some 10 years ago was repositioning itself to play a leading role in the development efforts at the Zongo communities.

He said plans were underway to visit traditional and religious leaders in all Zongo communities to sell the message of the Association and see how it could collaborate with them to achieve the goal of improved development in Zongo communities.