GIMPA Muslim students hold prayer service

The Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) branch of the Ghana Muslim Students Association (GMSA) has held a prayer service to raise awareness about the association's activities in the institution.

This was the maiden formal prayers organised for members of the association after its launch in 2017.

The essence of the service was to enhance efforts at making the association visible and also foster healthy relationships with the school’s management, promote inter-religious dialogue and build partnerships with industry and employers.

Support

The Patron of the association, Dr Gamel Abdul-Nasser Salifu, a lecturer in the Department of Economics and Applied Mathematics, said it was important to ensure the association becomes a formidable body to enable students, especially Muslims, to receive the necessary support such as grants and industrial opportunities to further their education and also get the needed experience.

“There are international organisations such as the Islamic Development Bank that offer scholarships to Women in Mathematics and Women in Information Technology, among others, and to Muslim students in various universities.

“However, GIMPA students do not benefit because the university does not meet the requirements for application,” he said.

Dr Salifu, therefore, urged the management of the university to show proper records of the school's Muslim population and programmes to enable them to apply for grants from international bodies.

That, he said, would enable Muslim students, just like those in other universities, to also receive support for their education.

Guidance and counselling

Additionally, Dr Salifu called for the establishment of a guidance and counselling unit to help students deal with their social or behavioural needs.

He said that Muslims are close to nine per cent of the student population, including international students in the university.

Various concerns of the students were responded to at the event. There were also recitations of the Quran.

Advice

The Chief Imam of the Bawaleshi Mosque, Sheikh Muqtar Iddrisu, urged the students to take a keen interest in the activities of the association for it to have a positive impact on the lives and communities they come from.

“Whatever contributions you make here to improve the lives of your Muslim community will attract blessings to you.

“Contribute to every Islam activity, so that Allah will hear your prayers,” he said.

For his part, Emmanuel Kra Arthur, vice-president of the university's Students’ Representative Council (SRC), pledged the council’s commitment to securing a common place of worship for Muslim students on campus.