By Patience Tawiah
Adidome (V/R) Nov. 17 GNA – International Justice Mission (IJM), Non-Governmental Organisation, through the respective districts’ Department of Social Welfare (DSW), has donated relief items to flood victims in Central Tongu in Volta and Kwahu Afram Plains North District in the Eastern Region.
The Organisation’s visits and the donations were in response to the displacement of people in the Islands and communities in the two districts.
The donation for the two districts included 50 bags of rice, 100 bottles of cooking oil, 50 packs of sanitary tissues, 20 packs of sanitary pads, 50 pieces of mosquito nets, 100 pieces of plastic cups and bags of assorted clothing and footwear for children, women, and men.
Madam Anita Budu, the Mission’s Ghana Country Director, said IJM over the years had been working in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) offices in the two districts to tackle the issues of human trafficking.
She intimated that IJM’s close collaboration with the DSW office in supporting the welfare of children who were vulnerable was prompt for her team to reach out with the donation.
“We know that in challenging times, even if it is not directly our mandate, the vulnerable are still being affected, and so we work together with DSW to be able to donate some provisions, food items and clothing for those in need,” she said.
Madam Budu pledged the organisation’s commitment to continue supporting the districts in providing relief for children and other persons who are vulnerable.
Mr Thomas Moore Zonyrah, the District Chief Executive for Central Tongu expressed gratitude for the organisation’s gesture and time taken to commiserate with the people at such a time.
Mr Alexander Roosevelt Hottordze, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Central Tongu, thanked the IJM for the gesture and reckoned that the disaster response was moving into another stage where the focus would be on livelihood restoration and resettlement.
“You know a lot of people have lost their buildings, they are broken, they buildings have collapsed all over, and those that are even there and are in the river will automatically have integrity problems, so it is a big task,” the MP lamented.
Mr Isaac Ofori Koree, the District Chief Executive for Kwahu Afram Plains North, expressed his commitment to addressing the needs of displaced persons.
He said a lot of residents in the Island communities were displaced including 220 children and many of these victims were sheltering in school buildings at present with no alternative housing.
The DCE assured that the items would be distributed to the victims to address the challenges confronting them.
Mr Kofi Appiah, the Director for DSW, Kwahu Afram Plains North thanked IJM for the support
GNA