AMBARIYYA SUNNI COMMUNITY SUPPORTS FLOOD VICTIMS (Page 54)

Story: Zakaria Alhassan, Tamale

THE Ambariyya Sunni community in Tamale has presented a quantity of relief items to the Northern Region Disaster Management Committee for onward distribution to the flood victims in the area.
The items included 170 bags of maize, bales of used clothing, footwear, some buckets and cooking utensils.
Making the presentation to the Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, in Tamale, the Head of the Sunni community, Sheikh Saeed Abubakr Zakaria, explained that the donation formed part of the basic tenets of Islam.
The items, worth over ¢44 million, were realised through the generous donations from members of the sect in and within the metropolis.
The leader noted that in every disaster situation, the immediate needs of the victims were water, food, shelter and clothing.
‘‘This is in accordance with the teachings of the religion which states that we are each other’s keeper and that it is incumbent on the faithful to always come to the aid of people in need and in distress,’’ he explained.
Sheikh Zakaria further intimated that it was aimed at ‘‘dispelling the notion that religious people are always at the receiving end, because in Islam, the hand that stretches up is preferred to the hand that is down.’’
The leader also pledged the preparedness of the sect to support both the metropolitan assembly and the Regional Co-ordinating Council in addressing the development challenges facing the people in their quest to reach greater heights.
The minister, who received the items, described the gesture by the Sunni community as exemplary, for which reason he commended them for their efforts and show of solidarity to the unfortunate flood victims.
He also expressed appreciation to all individuals, groups and organisations that had donated items towards the resettlement of the victims, and gave the assurance that, all the items would reach out to those who were genuinely in need of them at the various areas where the flood occurred.
The floods that happened in August this year in the three northern regions caused a humanitarian catastrophe, and various appeals have been made to philanthropic individuals and organisations to support the victims.