The New Patriotic Party's parliamentary candidate for the Ayawaso East constituency, Zak Rahman, has hosted the first in a series of Iftar programmes aimed at building connections within the Muslim community during the ongoing Ramadan fast.

Saturday's inaugural event at Nima brought together imams, traditional leaders, opinion influencers, and residents to not just break the daily fast together but also engage in open discussions on local issues and priorities.

"This is just the start of my Ramadan outreach across all electoral areas," Rahman said.

"By coming together over the Iftar meal, we can build connections, reflect on the spiritual significance of this period, and have candid conversations about how to best serve Ayawaso East."

The NPP candidate used the platform to listen to concerns from attendees on matters like economic empowerment, infrastructure development, social services, and community security. Rahman stressed the need for grassroots engagement and collaborative policymaking if elected as MP.

"My team and I are committed to opening the lines of communication and making this a bottom-up campaign to truly understand the needs of all residents," he stated.

Rahman's Iftar dialogue series comes as he aims to unseat incumbent NDC MP Mahama Nasser Toure in what is expected to be a hotly contested election this December. The NPP is looking to pivot back into constituencies like Ayawaso East.

"Saturday's positive interactions have given me further motivation to earn your mandate and be your voice in Parliament after years of feeling inadequately represented," Rahman told the Muslim leaders and constituents.

With Ramadan set to continue until April, the NPP candidate plans to accelerate his Iftar outreach programmes across Ayawaso East's electoral areas in the coming weeks to show kindness and rally support within the influential Muslim community.