Coronavirus: Govt redefines vulnerable to absorb more beneficiaries

Government has redefined the ‘needy and vulnerable’ to get more people to benefit from the food distribution initiative.

The Government, through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, with support from the Ministry of Finance, has now included persons who engaged in petty trading of non-edible items and had to stop work due to the stay home directive, as beneficiaries.

Previously the vulnerable comprise Kakayei, persons living in slums, street children and adults, persons with a disability, and the aged poor.

Mrs Cynthia Mamle Morrison, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the food was for every vulnerable individual and groups, hence the redefinition.

She said this while the Ministry, in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, the National Disaster Management Organisation, social workers and the Military, distributed packs of cooked food to about 5,000 vulnerable people in Accra.

She gave an assurance that the Ministry would continue to support the vulnerable with food as long as the restriction of movement was in force.

Mrs Morrison explained that the food collection centre was moved from the Ministry of Health to the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park because of the increase in the number of beneficiaries to ensure the observance of the social distancing.

“Now, with the relocation, we have been able to share more than 1,000 foods within a short time,” she said.

The beneficiaries were educated on how to wash their hands, apply alcohol-based hand sanitizers and properly dispose of the food packs to avoid littering the area.

Mrs Morrison advised them to observe the social distance protocols and handshakes to stay safe from the respiratory disease.

She appealed to the public, individuals and corporate institutions to support the government in its efforts at feeding the needy and vulnerable.

“However, if anyone wants to support communities with cooked food, they should let us know so that we give them our time-table and itinerary so as not to duplicate efforts and ensure everyone benefitted.”