Bawumia commends Ahmadiyya community for role in national devt

On February 25, 2024, 1:30 AM

The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has lauded the contribution of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community and their impact on the development of the country over the last 100 years.

“Two areas the Ahmadiyya Muslim community has made significant contributions in their revival mission, which deserves much commendation, are in the education and health sectors.

“As a staunch advocate for the development of youth through education, I am highly impressed by the remarkable contribution and impact the community has made in the sector throughout the country,” he added.

Dr Bawumia further said that “to build a total of 315 schools at the primary, junior and senior high school levels, as well as colleges of education is truly impressive and commendable”.

He said many citizens, regardless of their religious affiliations, had benefited from the community’s investment in education, which the Vice-President said was in line with the government vision to make education free and accessible to all at the secondary level.

 Dr Mahamudu Bawumia (5th from right), Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih (6th from right), Ameer of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana, and other dignitaries at the event

Event

Dr Bawumia was speaking at a convention to commemorate the centenary anniversary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana last Thursday at Pomadze in the Central Region, on the theme: “A Century of Islamic revival in Ghana.”

In attendance were members of the community, including those from neighbouring countries, other Muslim sects, politicians, state agencies, civil society organisations, chiefs and queen mothers.

The global leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, and the Ameer (Head) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana, Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih, also graced the occasion.

The mission was established some 100 years ago in the then Gold Coast.

The Vice-President said, “the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission has undoubtedly contributed significantly to the state of Islam in the country today”.

“The story of Islam in contemporary Ghana, especially the story of the continuous quest to propagate the true tenets of the religion such as peace, equality, compassion, pursuit of knowledge and respect for all cannot be fully told without the remarkable contributions of the Ahmadiyya community,” he said.

Dr Bawumia further commended the Ahmadiyya community for its contributions to religious harmony, peace-building and the promotion of good governance.

Impact

An Islamic scholar and Naib Ameer II of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Alhaji Suleiman Ahmad Anderson, traced the history of the mission and other activities it had undertaken in the country

over the years.

“The establishment of the Ahmadiyya Education Unit with several schools under it and the impact it had had on the image of Muslims and Islam, generally created an appreciation of the importance of circular education,” he said.

Currently, the mission has a university and two colleges of education.

Alhaji Anderson also recounted other achievements of the mission, including collaborating with the Chief Imam to set up the Hilal Committee which worked towards a united Muslim front.

Defence of constitution

The Chairperson of the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), Kathleen Addy, said citizens had the responsibility to defend the Constitution.

She urged them to cherish the values of living in peace together, being law abiding and politically and religiously tolerant.

“We have come a long way as a democracy and this is not the year to set ourselves back by engaging in disruptive behaviours,” Ms Addy added.

The chairperson paid tribute to the long-standing relation between the commission and the mission and wished it a successful centenary anniversary celebrations.