The Ministry of Education on Wednesday donated items worth Gh₵24, 000 to inmates at the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital and children in three orphanages in the Central Region.
The orphanages were the New Life International Children’s Home at Ansapetu near Efutu, the Human Service Trust Orphanage at Abura; both in the Cape Coast Metropolis and the Royal Seed Home at Kasoa –Ofankor.
The items comprised bags of rice, sugar and sachet water; gallons of cooking oil, boxes of tinned tomatoes, beverages, biscuits, loaves of bread, toilet rolls, detergent, soap and cosmetics.
Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman who led officials from the Ministry to present the items said the donation was made out of goodwill coupled with the fact that Christmas was a season for sharing and showing love and care.
She said inmates and children at the hospital and the orphanages were there due to certain circumstance beyond their control and therefore needed such donations to make life a little easier for them.
At the Ankaful Psychiatric Hospital, Mr. Godwin Kojo Pongo, Director of Administration, described the donation as timely since the facility was being run on the benevolence of the public due to erratic flow of funds.
As a result of insufficient funds, the facility which has a 500-bed capacity could only admit between 93 and 100 patients.
He expressed gratitude to the Ministry and appealed for continual support from the public to sustain the facility.
Mr. James Brew-Doughan, Care giver at New Life International Children’s Home, who received the items on behalf of the children, lauded the ministry for supporting its aim of giving hope to the children.
He said the about 30 children between age seven and 19 were at the mercy of donor partners and the public and therefore appealed to organizations and church groups to help project it humanitarian agenda.
The Executive Director of Human Service Trust Orphanage, Madam Nancy Arkorful and the Founder of the Royal Seed Home, Ms. Naomi Amoah, both expressed gratitude to the ministry for recognizing their work and offering its support to help put smiles on the faces of the less privileged.
Source: GNA