Ayawaso Zongo Chiefs Back Alhaji Sheriff for NDC National Zongo Coordinator
The Ayawaso Zongo Council Chiefs in the Greater Accra Region have endorsed Alhaji Baba Nasiru Sheriff for the position of National Zongo Coordinator of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), expressing confidence in his leadership abilities and longstanding commitment to the Zongo community.
The endorsement was announced when Sheriff paid a courtesy call on the chiefs to formally inform them of his intention to contest the party’s national elections and seek their blessings and support.
Speaking on behalf of the council, Alhaji Hassan Hussein described Sheriff as a trustworthy, dynamic and hardworking individual whose generosity and community involvement had earned him the respect of traditional leaders and residents.
He said the chiefs knew Sheriff well, particularly through his longstanding engagement with the people of Nima and other Zongo communities.
“Even before Sheriff became who he is today, he had been doing his best for the people. Before he became a contractor, he was already supporting the community,” Alhaji Hussein said.
He added that several members of the council had benefited from Sheriff’s assistance over the years, expressing confidence in his ability to represent the interests of Zongo communities.
“We are very confident in him. All of us here have thrown our weight behind him, and we shall continue to pray for him until victory is given to him,” he stated.
However, Alhaji Hussein urged political leaders from the Zongo community to maintain close relationships with traditional authorities, stressing the importance of consulting chiefs and imams on matters affecting their communities.
Sheriff Prioritises Zongo Development and Youth Welfare
Expressing gratitude for the endorsement, Sheriff said the chiefs’ support had encouraged him as he pursued the NDC National Zongo Coordinator position.
“I can only thank them. I thank them very much for endorsing me to become the next Zongo Coordinator. I am very grateful and very happy to hear all these nice words from the chiefs,” he said.
Sheriff identified education, infrastructure and youth development as key areas requiring greater attention, arguing that Zongo communities remained politically significant but continued to face development challenges.
“The Zongos are a very, very important constituency of this nation, and no political party in Ghana today can do without them,” he stated.
He noted that despite Zongo communities’ electoral importance to both the NDC and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), residents continued to face gaps in educational opportunities and infrastructure.
“If you look at our communities, we need a lot of development and infrastructure. In education, we are lagging in many areas. You have to get a very strong leader to push this agenda,” he said.
On concerns about drug abuse among young people, Sheriff said empowering the youth through education and other opportunities would be essential to addressing the problem.
“For a nation to develop well, you have to develop the youth. In the Zongos, our youth need a lot of help in terms of education and other things,” he added.
Pledges Continued Engagement with Chiefs. Responding to the chiefs’ call for stronger engagement with traditional authorities, Sheriff said he had maintained a close relationship with the Zongo community throughout his political career.
He cited his experience as a member of the NDC National Executive Committee (NEC) and his previous service as the party’s national vice-chairman as evidence of his longstanding involvement in party and community affairs.
“Most of the work I do is in the Zongos. I have been working together with them, and this time I will still be with them. I will always be with them,” he said.
Sheriff expressed hope that he would secure the mandate to lead the party’s Zongo affairs, pledging to work with traditional authorities to advance the interests of their communities.
Source: Felix Nyaaba/expressnewsghana.com
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