On behalf of Ghanaians, President John Dramani Mahama, has donated relief items worth GHS10 million to three country across the world. This is the second time this year after government in August made a similar gesture to the people of Palestine who are going through war,
The beneficiary countries are Jamaica, Cuba and Sudan struck by different disasters of huge proportion and war.
Jamaica and Cuba were recently hit by hurricane Mellissa, a category 5 cyclone that swept through the Caribbean, affecting over 1.5 million people in the two countries and other Island. Sudan in Africa on the other hand has been through several years of civil war.
The items conclude 2, 400 bags of made in Ghana Adidome rice, 540 bags of sugar, 377 boxes of medication, cocoa products, 500 mattresses, 50, 000 pieces of T-shirts, 500 pillows, 100 cartons of gari mix, 20 pieces of 500-litre water tanks and other essentials to support these distressed nations.
Others are three 20-footer containers of assorted products and Ghanaian chocolate products, 20 pieces of hand-wash stations, 10 pieces of emergency portable toilets, and assorted clothes.
At a ceremony at the presidency on Friday November 7, President Mahama expressed concern about the disasters especially the hurricane. He said in the case of Sudan, owing to the long standing nature of the war, many have even forgotten about them as attention has shifted to recent wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
“You can imagine the kind of devastation that it wreaked on Jamaica, and from Jamaica, it continued to Cuba. Hundreds of people have lost their lives and are still counting. Other people are missing, who have not been accounted for.
“Sudan is actually becoming the forgotten wall because of Ukraine and Gaza. It looks like the world’s attention has shifted from there”, he said.
Adding “Some of the atrocities, the genocide, and the humanitarian suffering that is taking place in Sudan are not something that belongs to the 21st century”
The items will be distributed in the ratio of 50% to Jamaica, 30% to Cuba, and 20% to humanitarian agencies in Sudan.
The products were donated by businesses including Latex Form, Ash Form, MTN, Farm Masters Global, Twillion Company, Dignity DTRR Appeal, Pharmanova Ghana, and Atlantic Lifescience Limited. Others are Mancwa Commodities Limited, Duraplast Limited, Terraprime Group Ghana Limited, Mid Atlantic Group, Ghana Cocoa Board, Cocoa Processing Company and Businessman Ibrahim Mahama.
The High Commissioner of Jamaica to Ghana, Lincoln Goerge Downer, who received the items on behalf of the three nations, expressed gratitude to President Mahama and the government and people of Ghana.
In a show of solidarity with the people of Palestine, the government in August this year donated 40 metric tonnes of premium Ghana-made chocolate and cocoa products as humanitarian aid to victims of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The donation, described as a “gesture of compassion,” was presented by President Mahama to the Palestinian Ambassador to Ghana, Abdul Fattah Ahmed Khalil al-Sattari, during a brief ceremony at the Jubilee House in Accra.
President Mahama said the move is both symbolic and practical, aimed at offering comfort and nutrition to families enduring severe hardship in conflict zones.
“We’re gathered here today, not only to reaffirm our fraternal ties with Palestine, but to respond in a small yet heartfelt way to the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza,” the President said.
“The images and stories emerging from the conflict zones, particularly the suffering of innocent civilians, especially women and children, are heartbreaking. They are a painful reminder that behind every headline and every statistic, there are human lives people who long for peace, dignity, and hope.”
He explained the decision to donate cocoa-based products was deliberate, citing the nutritional and symbolic value of cocoa to Ghana and its people.
“In this regard, the Government of Ghana is pleased to extend a humanitarian donation of about 40 metric tonnes of premier Ghana-made chocolate and cocoa-based products under the distinguished Golden Tree brand to the people of the State of Palestine,” President Mahama said.
“It is symbolic because cocoa is one of Ghana’s most treasured natural commodities. It represents a significant source of economic livelihood for millions of Ghanaian farmers and families and embodies our national values of resilience, warmth, and generosity.”
“It is symbolic because cocoa is one of Ghana’s most treasured natural commodities. It represents a significant source of economic livelihood for millions of Ghanaian farmers and families and embodies our national values of resilience, warmth, and generosity.”
By Gifty Boateng