The Greater Accra Regional Minister and Honourable MP for Ayawaso Central, Mr. Henry Quartey

Honourable MP for Ayawaso East, Mr Naser Mahama Toure

Municipal Chief Executive for Ayawaso East, Honourable Hajia Salma Mohammed Kuta

The Ecobank Brand Ambassador, King Promise

MD of Jandel

Fellow Ecobankers present

Media Men and Women

Invited Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good evening to you all!

I am pleased to welcome you all to the first ever RAMADAN EDITION OF LIGHT UP THE CITY 2023, which is organized under the authority and backing of the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council and its local authorities, namely the Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly and Jandel Limited (a Décor, Luxury and Lifestyle Experience Company) and sponsored solely by Ecobank Ghana.

Street lighting during the holy month of Ramadan, traditionally referred to as Fanous Ramadan, has been practiced in Egypt and the larger Arab world for ages. Today, the practice has become very common and observed in Muslim communities in most parts of the world, including the west.

Fanous has thus remained with Muslims as a symbol of joy and a beloved tradition in the month of Ramadan.

As you may know by now, Ecobank has been at the forefront of street lighting during the festive seasons of Christmas and new year, since 2018, as pioneer sponsors of the event. Realising that our immediate stakeholders, i.e., our customers and our employees, comprise largely of both Christians and Muslims, we have found it necessary to also adopt Fanous Ramadan as an annual ritual, starting from 2023.

That is why we are today registering another first, by being the first, and sole sponsor of Fanous Ramadan here in Accra, and also in Tamale. So, as we speak here, there is a simultaneous lighting ceremony being held in the Northern Regional capital of Tamale.

As a bank, we do this as a corporate social responsibly, aimed at bringing joy and smiles to the faces of all Muslims. I, therefore, pause here to entreat Ghanaian Muslims not to let these efforts of the Ramadan lighting be in vain but to achieve its real purpose of making the “light guide the way” for all of us, now and forever.

May Allah bless all Muslims and their families with great joy, happiness and prosperity. May Allah open the doors of success and bless you, today and always.

Eid Mubarak!