By A A Yayra
As part of President John Dramani Mahama?s commitment under the Better Ghana Agenda to giving equal and better opportunity to all religions through education and other social interventions, the government has facilitated the construction of ?10 million ultra modern mosque by the Turkish government at Kanda, Accra.
The on-going project which is expected to be completed early next year will house a school complex, residence for the National Chief Imam, a mosque to accommodate 10,000 people,? a car park, a library, an Islamic school, a clinic, an administration block, an auditorium and a conference centre.
Information available to The Al-Hajj has it that, though President JohnMahama donated 1000 bags of cement at the initial stage when the Chief Imam constituted a Mosque planning committee to oversee the project, his desire to ensure the National mosque was completed and commissioned during the life time of the National Chief Imam, Sheik Dr. Nuhu Sharubutu, led him to impress on the Turkish government to woo Hudai Foundation to aid in the construction of the mosque during a working visit to Turkey in February this year.
The mosque is being constructed to replace the Central mosque which was pulled down at Makola in Accra following a demolition exercise in the Central Business District some years back.
In order to cater for a decent spiritual development of the Muslim community, the NDC government in 1995under former President Rawlings allocated a piece of land at Kawukudi for the construction of a national mosque but the project suffered setbacks after the foundation stone had been laid in 2006 by former President John AgyekumKufuor.
Due to President Mahama?scommitment to create a harmonious relationship between Christians and Muslims, a vision that forms the core component of the Better Ghana Agenda, the president, through the assistance of the Turkish government managed to encourage Turkish philanthropic group, the Hudai Foundation to put up the magnificent edifice free of charge.
The Al-Hajjis in the know that, apart from the construction of the ultra-modern mosque, the Hudai Foundation through the wise lobbying skills of President Mahama is planning to construct a Nursing school to provide education for young women interested in pursuing a medical career.
Just last week,a Turkish delegation led by Professor Hassan KamelYilmaz, Turkey?s Deputy President of Religious Affairs, was in the country to inspect the multi-purpose national mosque project.
Led by the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, the delegation paid a courtesy call on the Vice-President, Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur.
In a speech, The Turkish Vice-President of Religious Affairs noted that, he was delighted that though there was a geographical barrier between the two countries, that did not affect the strong ties between them.
?It is for this reason that I can say without contradiction that the 75 million people in Turkey love Ghana,? he said.
On his part, Mr. Amissah-Arthur expressed the government?s resolve to uphold religious tolerance in the country towards national development.
The Vice-President commended the initiative by the Turkish government, saying, ?This project is a brave example of a strong collaboration between Moslems and Christians. The government has all along been trying to create a similar situation where we can bring Christians and Moslems together for national unity and development. We will, therefore, support this project to the fullest.?
Mr. Amissah-Arthur recalled the bond of friendship between the two countries which dated back to the era of independence.
That relationship, he stressed, was further enhanced by the reciprocal visits of the Presidents of both countries and the Vice-President of Ghana in April this year.
He said the two countries had trade and economic relations but noted that they had added a new dimension; that is, cultural and social ties.
Source: A. A. Yayra (The Al-Hajj)
