The Kumasi Central Mosque leadership, led by the Ashanti Regional Imam, Sheik Abdul-Moomin Haruna, has advised the Muslim community to ignore critics and be thankful to Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, for overseeing the facility’s rehabilitation.
He stated that claims that the Saudi government and other persons sponsored the mosque repair rather than the Vice President were without validity and locus.
His remarks follow an outburst by Alhaji Said Sinare, a major member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who questioned claims that Dr. Bawumia single-handedly funded the repair of the Kumasi Central Mosque.
In a recent interview, the NDC stalwart claimed that he was previously in charge of the mosque’s refurbishment and demanded that the Vice President reveal the source of financing he utilized for the works.
Speaking to the media in Kumasi on Friday, the Ashanti Regional Imam emphasized that Dr. Bawumia deserves credit for spearheading the mosque’s renovation.
Sheik Haruna cautioned detractors to avoid politicizing the issue and from seeking to damage the Vice President’s character for political benefit.
He said, “with a political conscience, they want to tarnish the name of the Vice President and that is not good. Let’s stop it. We have to thank him and Almighty Allah. God used him to renovate this mosque for us”.
“I have heard some people saying it is not Dr. Bawumia who renovated the mosque. If it is true that the project was done by the Arabs. They would have brought their cameras and will be present during the commissioning and we didn’t see any single Arabian on that day”, he added
He stated that the Vice President did not refurbish the mosque for political reasons but for Allah’s sake.
The Regional Imam urged the Muslim community to continue to pray and support the Vice President in his political endeavors.
Chief Executive Officer of Shaddis Limited, Alhaji Kabiru Idris the construction business that refurbished the mosque, challenged detractors to prove that the Vice President did not repair the mosque.
He challenged Alhaji Said Sinare and other critics to identify the true architect of the renovations if they claimed it is not Dr. Bawumia.
Alhaji Idris urged the Muslim community to look ahead and pursue growth rather than focusing on critics.
Since its construction in 1951, the Kumasi Central Mosque has functioned as the primary place of prayer for the Muslim population in Kumasi and sections of the Ashanti Region.
To accommodate the growing number of worshipers, the structure was extended and minor renovations were completed over time.
In 2020, Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia promised to facilitate the reconstruction and renovation of the Central Mosque and that has been fulfilled.
