He said the 219.5 million cedis allocated to the Ministry by the Akuffo-Addo led Administration would go a long way to resource inhabitants of Zongos to work and build good secular schools for the overall advancement of that faction of society.

Mr. Boniface was speaking to Journalists at the 'Eighth stakeholders’ consultation on the Zongo Development Fund Bill’ at Appollo in the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan area of the Western Region.

The consultative meeting with more than 24 different Muslim groupings was to seek their inputs on areas of pertinent concerns and what benefits the institution of the Fund could bring to such communities to enhance infrastructure and sanitation as well as control crime.

The Minister said the Fund bill, when approved by Parliament would be used to provide sanitary facilities, security and crime control, lighting systems, drains and roads and other needed infrastructure.

Mr. Boniface said development over the years had been disintegrative with focus on urban centres to the neglect of areas such as the Zongos and slums, “It was time to shift the focus of development to these areas where poverty continue to breed lots of criminals and as we are all aware, poverty and crime are bed fellows”.The Zongo Development Fund Bill, according to the Minister, would be put before Parliament by next week to solicit their support in legitimizing the Fund to enable the Ministry kick start projects by September.

Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, Western Region Minister, said the Region was prepared to support the Minister and the Ministry to achieve the objects it had set out to realize.  Some participants the GNA spoke with lauded the initiative by the government to rejuvenate Muslim communities in the nation.