Businesses must support the less privileged – Veep

Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has called on individuals and corporate organisations to extend a hand of support to the less privileged people in their communities.

He said one of the greatest satisfying activities is when a person works to ensure that the difficulties of the less privileged people are alleviated through their efforts.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur made the call on the occasion of fundraising and dinner for the RICHOFF Foundation at the Banquet Hall of the State House.

The RICHOFF Foundation, which is the brainchild of Mr Richard Offei, a physically challenged person has the objective to construct an ultramodern disability sports and educational academy in Ghana.

The initiative also seeks to provide educational support and skills training for orphans and disable people as well as create a national platform for these people to come together through sports with the aim of assisting them to improve their social and economic circumstances.

The ultramodern sports complex which includes the physical structures of the facility, road network and sewage and expected to be carried out in phases is estimated at GH?11million.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur who was delight with the initiative stated that the lesson that could be drawn from Mr Richard Offei’s vision is that of leadership.

He described Mr Offei as a born-leader who has a vision and has been able to motivate the rest of the society to support that dream.

He said the sense of the community participation in the project was important “because we are in process of building a compassionate understanding community that listens to and response to the needs of all the people each one of whom are important in the task of nation building”.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur appealed to the corporate institutions to donate generously towards the wonderful idea, adding that this vision must be brought to fruition as quickly as possible.

He also pledged the government’s support for the initiative including the donation of a sixteen sitter-bus for the RICHOFF Foundation.

Mr Alban Bagbin, Majority Leader and a Patron of RICHOFF Foundation said in Ghana, people with physical disabilities usually face a myriad of challenges, some of which are easily preventable.

He said basic things like access to public facilities, special education, health care and even diet are not readily available to those who usually need them most.

He said due to the combine menace of poverty, ignorance, social exclusion, resource constraints both at the individual and family levels most of the physically challenged people often end up begging for alms on the streets in order to survive.

Mr Bagbin said despite unspeakable odds, Mr Offei through sheer hard work has carved a niche for himself in a field that is extremely challenging.

He said Mr Offei although physically challenged refused to succumb to his fate, adding that he is a rare gem and an inspiration not only to other physically challenged people but even those who are fully endowed.