Minister Nominee for Zongo Development and Inner cities, Boniface Abubakar Siddique, has declared his resolve to establish a solid foundation for the transformation of Zongo communities by conscientizing the major stakeholders.
He said this when he was questioned on measures he will take to transform various Zongo communities across the country.
“What I expect is to set a very solid foundation for the total transformation of the inner cities and the Zongos. First of all, I need to embark on a serious conscientization. The mindset of the people, mindset of the government and its state agencies and departments. Mindset of the NGOs and other non governmental institutions, and mindset of the whole people of Ghana; so everybody will be involved in helping to change the Zongos.”
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) promised to transform Zongo communities through the establishment of what it called the Zongo Development Fund.
Asked how this fund will be accessed, the Minister nominee said: “I can assure you that my Ministry will not rush in getting things done. As I sit here, I know the processes that one has to take to have a fund established. We need to bring a bill through the President to Parliament for consideration before the bill is passed as an Act before it can be accessed.”
He was however quick to add that, his Ministry will be given access to a facility to help carry out the Zongos transformation agenda while it works and waits for the fund to become accessible.
“I am still a baby under the presidency, and so I believe that my budget is still under the President which will be called a facility, and for the facility, I will be able to access to do the job; but if it is a fund it will take me some months, if not years to get it established….I believe while we are working on the funds, we will be accessing the facility which will help me do my job. “
Boniface Abubakar Siddique is 56 years old. He holds an MA in Economics from the University of Essex, MBA in Financial Management from the University of Exeter, MA in Conflict, Peace and Security from the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Center and a BA in Social 6 Sciences from the KNUST.
He worked in the Ministry of Finance for 14 years as an Economic Officer, eventually becoming a Senior Finance Officer. In politics, he has been a two time MP for Salaga from 2001-2009.
He also served as Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Minister for Manpower, Youth and Employment and Northern Regional Minister.
He is married with three children.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
