By Dr. Helen Osei- UPF Ghana
Last week Wednesday, September 21 2022, the Universal Peace Federation Ghana, and its Sister Bodies – the FFWPU and the WFWP, collaboratively marked the United Nations International Day of Peace in Anyinam, in the Eastern Region of Ghana. This time, it was not in the usual conference manner, but with a Service Project titled: “CHARITY IMPACT 2022”. Also, not within the nation’s capital in Accra, but in the Atiwa East District, Anyinam in Eastern Region.
We had proposed to use the UN Int’l Day of Peace to celebrate “Ambassadors for Peace Festival”, a moment to bring all members (old/new) together, however, the time was very short to package well. We decided therefore, to visit the regional chapter of the Ghana Society of Persons With Disability, to share with them, a moment of peace. In that region alone, they have about 725 disabled persons of different deformities.
To begin, the UPF sent out letters to her members and Associates, requesting that they donate whatever they have including pale tables and clothes. Members were also asked to send the letters across to their friends.
When I called the attention of the FFWPU and WFWP Leaders to the program, they welcomed the idea. Within two weeks to the date, we had gathered items and cash from FFWPU members, WFWP members and UPF Ambassadors, of course, not as much as expected.
In the morning of Wednesday September 21, only four (4) people were available to embark on the journey:
1. Hon. Fuseini Adongo, UPF Chairman; 2. Rev. Tegha King Jr., National Coordinator, UPF Associations; 3. Mrs. Marthe Whyte, FFWPU Vice NL and WFWP President, representing the two organs and myself Dr. Helen Osei, UPF Ghana Secretary General.
In less than 2 hours, we arrived Anyinam in Eastern Region. We met with Mr. Isaac Wadi, the middle man in the show.
Mr. Wadi is one of my AFP, through whom we got connected to the disabled.
He took us to meet their Chairman – Mr. Samuel Addasi. We had originally requested that on arrival, we would first visit the Paramount Chief of the land, Chief Barima Okogyeabusua Duodu Beni, to introduce our mission. Altogether with the Disabled Chairman and Mr. Wadi, we drove to the Chief’s Palace. Mr. Wadi had also arranged for the media and some of their executive members to meet us there.
On arriving the palace, the Chief was very happy to see us. He expressed his intimacy when he was told that we are visiting; especially the very first of its kind. Nana Barima mentioned that anyone can become a handicap at any given time, if not for God’s intervention and protection. It was therefore, very laudable that we came to show love to the Disabled in his land. He then called for us to introduce ourselves.
As custom demands, we did the introduction and soon after that, I officially explained our purpose of coming. He stood up with his linguists and moved to us for a hand-shake with all of us.
He then demanded that we do the handing over ceremony of the items there in his place. With a sense of humour, we did exactly as he demanded.
There were 7 bags of items such as: clothings, shoes, handbags, mosquito nets, packets of sanitizers/nose masks. There was also a cash of ¢4,700.0 cedis. Everything we handed over to the Disabled in front of the Chief (cash/items) was to the amount of $4,000 USD. We also handed to the chief, 2 bottles of schnapps.
While leaving Accra in the morning, the CEO of Ese Drinking Water and ESEFORT Organic Fertilizer, Apostle Bill Forcha who made the largest donation to the disabled, gave us a sample of the organic fertilizer and the Ese Water to introduced to the people. However, as we presented the items in front of the Chief at his Palace, we decided to also do the demonstration of the materials to the Chief, who is the custodian of the people.
Being a cocoa farmer, he was again very glad with the organic fertilizer, and for the water, he was surprised to observe the inefficacy of the various types of water that they have been drinking. He assured us that he will take measures to see that his people live their lives in accordance with health rules.
As we left the palace, we moved to a hotel in the town where we held a brief meeting with the 8 executive members of the disabled persons.
At that place, the UPF Chairman, Hon Adongo, tried to find out more about them, and possibly, the challenges they face.
According to their Secretary – Mr. Gideon Boanso, they are members of the Ghana Society of Persons With Disability. They have chapters in all the 16 regions of Ghana. They are programmed by the government to receive 3% of the District Assembly Funds quarterly, but many a time there is unnecessary delay in the release of that funds by the Assembly. This frustrates whatever they intend to do. Moreover, their grown up sons, who are not disabled, are not even considered for any public service employment. These are some of their constraints, he said. Bearing their pains with them, we encouraged them to have faith in God and look forward to a better opportunity with UPF in the coming year. We also agreed to set a time schedule to hold capacity building workshops for them and their families, to integrate them into the 2027 Action Plan set up by the UPF co-founder, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, “the Mother of Peace”. They were more than happy with our visit. We ended the meeting with a group photograph and departed for Accra.
Dr. Helen Osei
General Secretary, UPF-Ghana