By Ewoenam Kpodo
Ho, Dec 19, GNA- Mr James Gunu, Volta Regional Minister has spread cheer and support to residents of Cured Lepers Village in Ho with a donation of food and essential items ahead of the Christmas festivities.
The items included bags of rice and maize, cartons of sardines, loaves of bread, cooking oil, chocolate, bottled water, malt drinks, toilet rolls, and bags of sachet water to support their daily needs during the festive season.
Mr Gunu, who Thursday December 18, led a delegation comprising Municipal and District Chief Executives and party executives on a goodwill visit to the Village, underscored the need for compassionate care for the extremely deprived in society, citing the well-known passage from the Gospel of Mathew 25:35-40, part of Jesus’s teaching on the final judgment, where serving the needy (hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, imprisoned) was seen as serving Him directly.
He assured of walking in the steps of the late Mrs Dzifa Aku Attivor, former Minister of Transport, who until her demise, had been supporting the Village in various ways including presenting equipment to operationalise its skills training centre, meant to equip the residents with employable skills to be economically independent.
The Minister also assured residents of his commitment to addressing the pressing challenges of the Village such as Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty disbursements, lack of electricity and poor road access noting, he would collaboratively work with Mr Stephen Adom, Ho Municipal Chief Executive and Mr Richmond Kpotosu, Member of Parliament of Ho Central.
Mr Adom announced plans to rehabilitate the Village’s access road, and deal with the electricity and sanitation concerns of the residents.
Miss Isabella Etornam Gagblezu, Volta Region’s representative and winner of TV3’s 2025 Ghana’s Most Beautiful pageant, brightened the visit further by a surprise donation of GH¢3,000 to the Village, embodying the spirit of giving and collective responsibility towards the welfare of vulnerable communities.
She thanked the residents who started shouting “Edzo le me,” her iconic chant and slogan during her pageant journey, at the sight of her, for their support saying, their prayers got answered.
Mr Nelson Atito, caretaker of the Village, expressed gratitude for the gesture, highlighting the needs of the residents and called for society not to shun cured lepers, but to welcome and show love to them, saying, “when you go, come back to visit.”
He explained most of the residents had been abandoned by their family for years, noting that in times of death however, they tried to send the deceased to their families for burial.
The residents expressed gratitude for the kind gesture.
Madam Edem Agbanyo who lives at the Village with his husband, said the gesture brought joy and hope to them and asked for further support to clear electricity bills, saying some residents had been in darkness for months because of their inability to pay their bills.
The Cured Lepers Village is home to people from different communities who have recovered from Leprosy, but left with disabilities and are ostracised from main stream society, largely relying on support from benevolent organisations and philanthropists.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Lydia Kukua Asamoah