Muslims hold thanksgiving, prayer session for Bawumia

A Thanksgiving and prayer session has been held at the national mosque at Kanda, Accra, in honour of the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

The ceremony, which took place on Tuesday evening, was interspersed with Quran recitals.

It was graced by the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Usmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, Muslim elders, the Council of Zango Chiefs, some residents of Zango communities and the NPP faithful.

Policies

Dr Bawumia explained some policies of the government and also shared his vision with the congregation.

On the organisation and performance of the annual Hajj Pilgrimage, he gave an assurance that under his government, measures would be instituted to ensure a hitch-free ritual for Muslims in the country.

He also pledged to roll out a flat tax and tax amnesty policies, including the granting of tax amnesty, to ensure that taxpayers begin on a clean slate.

That, he explained, was meant to rid the tax regime of bottlenecks.

Under the flat tax proposal, Dr Bawumia said importers would be made to pay a fixed rate for their goods upon arrival in the country.

The presidential candidate further assured women in business to stay in readiness for a women empowerment fund, which he said was intended to cushion women traders and sustain their businesses.

Initiatives

Touching on some of the initiatives taken by the government to position the country on course, the Dr Bawumia mentioned the digital address system, the Ghana Card and the introduction of mobile money interoperability.

He particularly mentioned the mobile money interoperability which, he said, had brought about financial inclusion, putting the banked and unbanked under the financial ecosystem.

The NPP presidential candidate said the system paved the way for people to transfer funds from one telecommunication platform to another.

“The mobile money interoperability also helps to transfer money from one telephone network to another and also from one’s bank account to his mobile money (MoMo) account and vice versa,” he added.

Drone services

Dr Bawumia, who spoke in Hausa, also narrated his personal experience at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, where he lost his father due to the unavailability of blood.

He explained that it was one of the reasons that pushed him to introduce the idea of drone services to the government.

Dr Bawumia said the Zipline drone delivery services had since been set up across various points in the country and vaccines, blood and other essential drugs were sent by drone to hard-to reach areas.

He expressed appreciation for the show of support and the honour done to him.

Prayers

Sheikh Sharubutu later prayed for Dr Bawumia, the government and citizens as the nation prepares for the polls on Saturday.