Volta/Oti GJA marks World Press Day with donation to the vulnerable

The Volta/Oti Regional branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has donated assorted items to some vulnerable persons at Duta in the Ketu South Municipality to mark this year's World Press Freedom Day.

The items, including; 50kg bags of rice, 50 bottles of cooking oil, 20 bags of sachet water, 75 pieces of nose masks and 72 bottles of alcohol-based hand sanitisers were given to vulnerable persons identified by the Assembly.

The donation, done on Sunday, May 03 was the Association's way of marking this year's World Press Freedom Day, a day set aside to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom, evaluate press freedom around the world, defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of work.

Mr Anthony Bells Kafui Kanyi, Volta/Oti GJA Chairman said the gesture was to support households hard hit by COVID19 restrictions.

"We are here at Duta, the hardest-hit community in the Volta Region by COVID-19 restrictions (border closure) to support you in our own small way. Today is a special day for us and we are here to put a smile on your face," he said.

Mr Kanyi commended journalists for bracing all odds to provide the public with information and education on COVID19, sometimes without protection and asked that Journalists were respected and their works well valued.

Mr Elliot Edem Agbenorwu, Municipal Chief Executive for Ketu South who received the donation for the people, thanked the Association for the gesture.

He called on residents to adhere to preventive protocols to break the chain of the virus spread, while asking journalists to be circumspect in their reportage on myths about the pandemic as that could do more harm than good.

Some residents who spoke to GNA expressed gratitude for the donation and asked God's blessings for journalists in the Volta and Oti regions.

The outreach by GJA Volta/Oti had support from the Volta Regional Coordinating Council and Honourary members of the Association.