By Ashiadey Dotse
The Member of Parliament for Salaga South, Zuwera Mohammed Ibrahimah, has outlined several development initiatives for her constituency while encouraging young Muslim women to pursue education and leadership.
She spoke at Light of Her Deen, a Ramadan iftar and mentorship gathering for young Muslim women.
Addressing the gathering on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, the MP said she has been working to tackle some of the key challenges facing young people in her constituency, Salaga South Constituency, including drug abuse.
She revealed that she had lobbied for the establishment of a narcotics control office to help address the growing problem of drug use among the youth.
According to her, the office will help authorities and community leaders work together to guide young people away from drug activities and support them in living responsible lives.
She also announced progress on another important service for residents of Salaga. The MP said the government has approved the creation of a satellite office in the town to assist with passport processing.
She explained that residents currently have to travel to Damongo to process their passports. However, the new office will capture applicants’ data in Salaga and send it to Damongo for processing before the passports are returned to Salaga for collection.
“By the grace of Allah, that office is going to be established,” she told the audience.
The lawmaker emphasised that her role in parliament is about representing the needs of her people rather than pursuing personal ambition.
“In parliament they do not just call me Zuwera. They call me the Member for Salaga South because the seat belongs to the people,” she said.
She explained that leadership and ambition are acceptable in Islam when they are guided by service, good intentions and strong principles.
The MP also highlighted the importance of education for both men and women, noting that Islamic history includes many women scholars and leaders.
She cited the example of Fatima al-Fihri, a Muslim woman who founded the University of Al-Qarawiyyin in Fez in 859 CE, which is widely recognised as the world’s oldest continuously operating university.
According to her, the first revelation in Islam commanded people to read and seek knowledge, a message she said applies to everyone regardless of gender.
She urged the young women present to use education and leadership opportunities to make a positive impact in their communities and open doors for others to follow.
