Vice President, Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, has inaugurated the renovated Kumasi Central Mosque.
Present to grace the occasion, which coincided with the Friday Prayers, was the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, National Chief Imam Sheik Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu and members of Council of the Zongo Chiefs, among others.
Dr. Bawumia earlier settled a 56 year accumulated ground lease arrears following a request by the Muslim community in the Kumasi Metropolis.
The Muslim community raised GHc35, 000.00 of the GHc.120,000.00 arrears dating back to 1964, and appealed to the Vice President who settled the remaining ghc85,000.00.
After settling the bill to enable an updated title of the land, the Vice President decided to renovate the facility, single handedly.
The renovation of the Mosque now makes it one of the most modern edifices in Kumasi.
It has a seating capacity of 7,000 congregants with 30 underground washrooms, fully air conditioned with 100 capacity ablution centre and 11 furnished offices.
Additionally, it has a 500-capacity conference hall, two-bedroom apartment, among other electrical fittings.
The Asantehene, in a speech, asked the Muslim community to thank the Vice President for the great work done.
The project which commenced on October 14th 2020.
According to Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia, the project was mocked by his detractors who never believed he could sponsor the completion of the project.
“It is God who built the Mosque through individuals but when we started the construction many were monitoring the progress of the Mosque project associated with complaints and other gossip that the project is sponsored by Saudi Arabians. I mean you all heard that, their mind-set was that we can’t build this beautiful Mosque in Ghana. This is a mind-set of negativity and impossibility. I laughed over those comments because we can do it and do the best things for our people’’ he mocked detractors.
The vice president Commended Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for his continued support towards the project and the Islamic community in the region.
He pleaded to managers of the Kumasi central mosque to ensure proper maintenance culture is kept to keep the facility in good shape.
He also pleaded with the religious groups in the country to maintain their pleasant relationship to sustain the country’s peace and security.
“As Otumfuo said, please let us do our best and ensure we practise the best maintenance culture to keep the mosque clean and beautiful. For us in Ghana we are blessed to enjoy coexistence among the religious groups in the country. Few days ago the national Chief Imam broke grounds for construction of a mosque at Konongo Zongo a project being sponsored by a devoted Christian this not a common practise on some other country this means we are blessed to witness this development in Ghana therefore its our collective responsibility maintain this cordial relations we have.’’