News
Caritas Ghana supports Old Fadama squatters
Caritas Ghana, the Relief and Development Agency of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has supported 160 families made up of 630 people who were recently rendered homeless after their places of abode were demolished to pave way for the dredging of the Korle Lagoon.
Each displaced family received a token amount ranging between GH¢ 100.00 to GH¢ 200.00 at a ceremony held at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Derby Avenue in Accra.
The total disbursement with support from Star Ghana Foundation was GH¢ 20, 000.00
Old Fadama has been renamed City of God by the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra to replace what was popularly known as Sodom and Gomorrah.
Prior to the demolition on April 15, 2020, fire swept through the slum destroying hundreds of structures leaving over 800 people homeless.
Mr Samuel Zan Akologo, the Executive Secretary of Caritas Ghana, presenting the token to the beneficiaries, said the donation was part of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference’s COVID-19 National Response Plan to the vulnerable.
He said the plan was also to address the psychological and emotional needs of people and help provide authentic information about the pandemic together with the Ghana Health Service and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
He, however, described the demolishing exercise by the Assembly as unfortunate and prayed government and other organisations would support the needy.
“My wish is that these internally displaced persons from the recent demolitions in Old Fadama will eventually make the voluntary decision to return to their home communities.
“The misery and indignity that these families now live in Accra is just too painful to contemplate for any human being. Moreover, most of them have lost their jobs here in Accra due to the adverse impact of COVID-19,” Mr Akologo said.
“I am happy that Caritas Ghana can accompany and resettle them in their respective home communities. This is an opportunity to retrain them in new skills for more decent jobs in the future,” he added.
Rev. Fr. George Mensah, the Director of Caritas Accra admonished the beneficiaries, to make good use of the token presented to them and advised them to always ensure they wore face masks and practise social distancing to prevent them from contracting the coronavirus.
Yussif Alhassan Antabayim, the leader of the victims of the demolition thanked Caritas Ghana and Star Ghana Foundation for the support. The beneficiaries were mainly head potters and ‘okada’ riders.
News
Craze for x’mas shopping: Crowded markets, low patronage
Vendors of food and other wares associated with the Christmas celebration have expressed surprise at the low patronage despite the increased number of visitors to some of the major markets across the capital.
Four days to the celebration(Christmas), the markets are filled with various products ranging from food, clothing, livestock and many other stuff, but according to the vendors, patrons are doing more ‘window’ shopping.
The Spectator on visits to some of the markets in the capital, notably the Odawna, Makola, Accra Central Business District, New Town and others made similar observations as shoppers crowd them but did little in terms of purchases.
The paper also observed that majority of vendors, originally selling other wares have switched to product related to the festive season.
What it means is that there are a lot more clothes, food and vegetables, livestock and poultry, toys, firecrackers, drinks of different types and many others on display.
The markets have also stretched to the pedestrian pavement, leaving very narrow spaces for commuters to move about freely.
That, in addition to a few of the female vendors dressed in coloured attires to reflect the occasion, has heightened the euphoria, leaving the low sales as the only headache for the vendors.
Speaking with this paper, they sounded very optimistic, believing that sales would improve in the last few days to the yuletide.
According to them, there was the opportunity to sell beyond Christmas as the New Year celebration offers similar opportunity to trade the same wares.
They urged patrons to throng the markets to shop since prices were quite moderate and products affordable for all.
News
Retirement service for Elder John Ackom-Asante,3 others
Retired Deputy Editor of The Spectator, Elder John Ackom-Asante, was last Sunday honoured by the Church of Pentecost Windy Hills District in Kasoa in the Central Region, with a retirement thanksgiving service, after serving for 26 year as an Elder of the church.
He was honoured with a citation and certificate of service along with three other elders who served in the capacity for various years.
Elder Ackom-Asante was baptised at the Darkuman Central Assembly in 1979 and ordained as an Elder in 1997.
The citation read “Your selfless service, zeal, willingness to relate wholeheartedly and your desire to effect change has gone a long way to shape the lives of many people in the church and the nation over the 26 years of your dedication to the service of the Lord.”
Elder Ackom- Asante held many positions at the Darkuman Central Assembly, Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and Tema, serving in various capacities as youth and evangelism ministry leader and marriage counsellor.
He was the founding member of the Darkuman Christian Fellowship, a member of the Greater Accra Christian Fellowship; member of Bible Society of Ghana; founding member Obuasi Chapter Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International and founding member of New Times Corporation Christian Fellowship and Chaplain, Methodist University Tema Campus 2009- 2010.
As a professional journalist, Elder Ackom-Asante combined effectively and efficiently his duty as a member and elder of the church and the demands of his profession, with admiration from the church, kith and kin, till his retirement on December
From Alhaji Salifu Abdul-Rahaman, Kasoa
