Tema, Aug. 27, GNA – The Tema Muslim Council has organised its maiden general meeting to restore peace and harmony amongst Tribal Chiefs and Ulima (Imams) to enhance development in the Metropolis.
The meeting which took place at the Tema Metropolitan Assembly was used by the Chiefs and Imams to familiarize and know each other especially new leaders in the Moslem fraternity.
Alhaji Issah, Sissala Chief said the engagement was also used to settle all disputes between the traditional and religious leaders and foster unity for development.
Alhaji Issah said the leaders have realized that inter-tribal disputes had impeded development in their various communities.
“We need to unite, we just have to unite and we must unite. Tema is Ghana and Ghana is Tema, Tema is just unique, why are we in Tema and we are not peaceful? The meaning of our religion is peaceful but we are not peaceful?
“How can we have enough of these sittings, how can we think about the future, how can we have our fair share of what is happening in the political system? Alhaji Issah added.
He pleaded with the Muslim leaders to use the “United we stand and divided we fall” approach to fight for development in their communities and not among themselves.
Alhaji Majeed, Chairman and Navy Chief Imam who spoke on the topic: “Benefits of working together” described the Imams as leaders on strike who don’t know what they are about and just sitting on the fence with sharp teeth for their selfish gains.
Alhaji Majeed said all the leaders are selfish who do not pass ideas to each other but rather stand to receive, eat and benefit from where and what they didn’t contribute to.
He cautioned that like a selfish player who doesn’t contribute to the success of a team likewise selfish leaders do not also contribute to the success of their people or their communities.
The Navy Chief Imam said, due to lack of togetherness among the Muslim leaders, some brilliant children are now useless indulging in so many social vices in the communities.
“Go to the ghettos and see, they are more than lecturers, very good in academics but no support, no direction, so the intelligence and potentials, God has given them has evaporated. They are aimless hence the need to work together,” he said.
He encouraged the various traditional and religious leaders of the Muslim fraternity in Tema to stop fighting among themselves, but rather think about their people, work together and reap the benefit of working together.
The Tema Metropolitan Chief Imam lamented on the devastating nature of the Tema Central Mosque and called for prompt attention for it to be developed.
Imam Salifu Musah Afipafa, Secretary of the Tema Tribal Chiefs who doubles as Chief for Grunshie and Kasine Nankan, who spoke on behalf of the Tribal Chiefs told the Ghana News Agency that, unity is paramount in every dispensation and called on the leaders to reconcile and tolerate each other.
In attendance were Mr. Joseph Korto, the Presiding Member of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly, Mr. Frank Asante, the Public Relations Officer of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly, and Ahaji Musah Rainbow, the Muslims Deputy Chief for Tema and Ashaiman.
GNA