Coronavirus: Catholic Archdiocese of Accra supports 750 households with food items

The Catholic Archdiocese of Accra in collaboration with the International Help of Missionaries, US-based benefactors of the Church, has distributed assorted food items to 10 parishes in the Greater Accra Region to aid needy people in their jurisdiction.

The support was to enable vulnerable ones like the aged-poor, persons with disability, street children and adults, and single needy parents, to survive the challenging moment of restriction of movement and suspension of social gatherings, following the recording of confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Ghana.

The items, expected to be distributed to 750 households, included 750 pieces of 5kg bags of rice, 750 bottles of sunflower oil, 92 cartons of Lele tuna chucks, 95 cartons of tomato paste, and 25 boxes of indomie noodles.

Beneficiary Churches were St. Anthony (Nungua), St. Maurice (La), St Peters (Osu), Scared Heart (Derby Avenue), Martyrs of Uganda (Mamprobi), St. Joseph the Worker (Medieval), and the Afuaman, Ashalaja, Ga Odumase and Weija/Tetegu Catholic churches.

Priests and members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society (humanitarian association of the church), of beneficiary churches, received the items on behalf of their communities.

The Most Reverend John Bonaventure Kwofie, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, said churches within areas where a sizable number of people were vulnerable were selected for the support.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society as part of its core mandate, identified the needy people in the church and neighbouring communities to support, he said, adding that, the Archdiocese, therefore, believed in their competency in that regard.

Reverend Father Wisdom Larweh, the Parish Priest of the St. Peters Catholic Church, Osu, who received the items on behalf of the churches, thanked the International Help of Missionaries for the support, especially in the period when the world was suffering a pandemic and a total or partial lockdown.

Many people who lived simple lives by indulging in petty trading or works to feed their families, he said, were unable to work in the areas affected by the restriction of movement directive, hence feeding had become difficult.

“I, therefore, believe the items would put smiles on their faces and give them relief, while we pray for the Lord’s mercy to roll back the pandemic,” he said.

He explained that the church already supported needy ones during Christian festivities, therefore, amid the pandemic, it had become more necessary to render more support to the most in need.