Coronavirus: Gonjaland Youth Association assists Old Fadama residents

The leadership of the Gonjaland Youth Association has donated assorted food items to residents of the Gonja community at Old Fadama around the Kokomba Market in Accra

The items included bags of rice, cooking oil, boxes of biscuits and boxes of tomato paste and bags of sugar,

The presentation was to assist and support the residents, particularly those of Gonja and Kokomba origins, during the 14-day lockdown in Accra.

Mr Mohammed Amin Osman, the President of the Association, presenting the items said the donation forms part of the Association’s drive to ensure that Gonja indigenes of the area were safe.

He said it was to help them stay at home and 'we are discouraging movement at this period of the lockdown.

"Our aim is also to advise them and educate them on the regular hand washing and also for them to continue to observe the social distancing protocols announced by the President," he said.

He said since the restrictions came into force, there have been reports of people from the North, particularly those engaged in the ‘kayayei business, trying to travel back to their communities.

He said that many of such people undertook such journeys because of lack of access to some basic needs such as food to enable them to observe the restrictions.

The President said the leadership of the association have realised that the issue of social distancing has become a problem here at Old Fadama looking at the congestion around the area.

He urged the residents not see the lockdown as a punishment but rather a way to contain the spread of the virus.

"The lockdown is in the interest of all of us and not a punishment as claimed by some," he added.

He commended the Savannah Region Minister for his contribution towards the presentation and called on other indigenes of Gonjaland to help their brothers and sisters during the lockdown period.

Dr. Alhassan Hanifa, from the Tema General Hospital, educated the residents on how to protect themselves from being infected with the virus.

He urged them to adhere to the protocols concerning the disease such as staying at home and exercising social distancing in their various localities.

Mr Joseph Jaakpan Akwasi and Mr Dramani Abdulai, who represented the Gonja and Kokomba leadership at Old Fadama, commended the leadership of the Gonjaland Youth Association for the gesture, particularly the education on the coronavirus in the native language to the people.

Both leaders pledged that the leadership would ensure fair distribution of the items, asking other benevolent individuals and organisations to come to their aid.