Sheikh Yussif Umar, the Upper East Deputy Regional Chief Imam, has called on Ghanaians to pray for peace and the economic challenges confronting the country to turn around for improved livelihoods.

He said the economic downturn of the country which had exposed Ghanaians to serious hardships and made life difficult especially for the ordinary citizens, needed collective responsibility to salvage it and urged Ghanaians, particularly Muslims to use the Eid- Ul-Adha to pray and work for a turnaround.

“When things get better, it is not going to benefit only the government but it will make life easier for the ordinary Ghanaians especially the poor, to survive,” he said.

Speaking to the Muslim Community in Bolgatanga at the Eid- Ul-Adha congregational prayers, Sheikh Umar called for peace and unity among Ghanaians to propel socio-economic transformation for poverty reduction.

The economic challenges including rising inflation, cost of fuel and food prices among others which had led to the high cost of living conditions among Ghanaians compelled the government to seek a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

This, the Deputy Regional Chief Imam, called on major stakeholders to work together to restore hope and prosperity for sustainable development.

Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister, called on the Muslim Community to prioritise the education of their children to help reduce poverty and contribute to accelerated national development.

He said when the children are well educated, they would be better placed to practice the Islamic Religion and urged them to take advantage of the numerous interventions in the educational sector including the Free Senior High School policy to educate their children.

“I also want to use this platform to encourage Muslim parents to ensure their children especially girls are enrolled and made to stay in school that will help address challenges such as poverty and diseases in our community.

The Regional Minister however appealed to the youth to resist being recruited into terrorist groups to destabilise the country.