The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has announced a GH¢1.75 million compensation package for families of the seven people from the Zongo communities in Kumasi, who were killed by the police at Manso Nkwanta for allegedly being suspected armed robbers.
Each family of the seven namely, Razak Sulley, Oliver Konlan, Abdul Hannan Basiru, Musah Seidu, Mohammed Bashir Musah, Mohammed Kamil and Baach Bont will receive GH¢ 250,000.00 each.
The seven were killed on July 16, 2018 when they were allegedly taken for armed robbers who had attacked a mining site at Manso Nkwanta, in the Amansie West District of Ashanti.
A five- member committee set up to investigate the circumstances leading to the killing, exonerated the deceased which led to the police administration interdicting the policemen involved.
Nana Akufo-Addo was addressing the opening ceremony of the maiden edition of the conference of Zongo for Peace and Development (ZOPAD), aimed at fostering peace and unity among residents of Zongo communities in Ghana, at the Georgia Hotel in Kumasi, yesterday.
Announcing the package, the President noted that, it was not an attempt by government to replace the lives lost with money, but rather to compensate the families for their loss which signify government’s commitment in supporting the families.
Nana Akufo-Addo assured the families that, justice would be served as the perpetrators have already been interdicted and would be processed for court noting that, justice was a prerequisite for peace in every society.
The President, however, called for peace among the people living in the 1,080 Zongo communities in the country stating that, he refuses “to accept the anti-peace tag associated with the Zongo communities”.
According to him, his government together with the residents of the Zongo communities had a mission to foster peace and development in their areas.
President Akufo- Addo explained that the government set up the Ministry of Inner City and Zongo Development purposely to engender development and bridge the inequity gap between inner cities and Zongo communities and the rest of the country.
He said the government remained committed to the transformation agenda of the country as he acknowledged the development deficit in Zongo communities and other parts of the country.
The Minister for Inner City and Zongo Development, Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, said the conference which was being held under the theme “Developing our Zongo communities through tolerance and peace” was meant to address the negative stereotypes associated with Zongo people and discuss how to foster peace and development in these communities.
He expressed commitment to ensuring development and peaceful co-existence among Zongo residents and people living in other communities.
The chairman of the occasion, Chief Abdul Moomin Dalhu, a board member of the Zongo Development Fund and the chief of Zongo communities in Tamale, urged residents of Zongo communities to uphold the peace existing in the country currently.
He appealed to Zongo communities to come up with solutions to challenges facing Zongo communities and lauded the government for its initiatives to develop these communities.
Chief Dalhu also called for peace and asked all Zongo residents to acknowledge and understand the fact that, non-Muslim residents were not their enemies and so there should be a peaceful co-existence.
FROM KINGSLEY E. HOPE/FAUSTINA KWABEA OSEI, KUMASI
