By Mariam Williams
In contributing their quota to the ongoing fight against COVID-19 in the Gambia, the Ghanaian community in the country on Tuesday donated some sanitary items to the Department of Social Welfare in Banjul.
The largesee of the Ghanaian nationals in the Gambia included 20 boxes of Madar, 10 packet of soap and buckets.
Speaking during the presentation ceremony, the Chairman of the Community, Mr. George Kaleku, said they deemed it necessary to contribute towards the fight against the deadly pandemic that had already affected the globe. He reasoned that as a community, they thought it wise to donate the Social Welfare Department because they know that they have a lot of people depending on them, and “we know that they have a lot of people they need to support”.
Chairman Kaleku thanked the welfare department for accepting their donation, expressing his Community’s belief that the donated items would go a long way in contributing to the fight against the deadly pandemic in the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Children and Social Welfare, Madam Rohey Bittaye Darboe, who graced the occasion, described the donation as “a very laudable initiative” and said they have appreciated it. Reminding that people are in a very critical situation right now as the virus is a pandemic, the PS noted that it’s a concern for the whole world.
Bittaye Darboe told her audience that any initiative taken by any group or individual would be greatly appreciated because people would need it somewhere or somehow.
She hailed the Ghanaian Community for taking such a bold step in contributing their quota to fight against COVID-19 in the Gambia, pointing out that the items would take them a long way as they are dealing with the vulnerable people.
Mr. Jakomba Jabbie, Director of Social Welfare, said the donation “is the first of it’s kind” since the start of this pandemic. He informed the gathering that “they{Ghanaians in Gambia} are the first community that had so far donated the Social Welfare department under the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare; so, we really appreciate it”.
Director Jabbie added that the gesture “is very great because Social Welfare department deals with so many vulnerable people”; that they deal with children, people with disabilities, elderly people, all kinds of people and also abandoned children and child marriage as well. He maintained that the donation is given to the right place because they deal with people who always need assistance.
The Social Welfare Department boss used the opportunity to call on other organisations, private sector and individuals not to forget his Department because they are the department that deals with all kinds of cases.
The Ghanaian Community’s gesture, as he indicated, is “a very magnificent one and timely”, as it would go a long way in improving the lives of the people and also to protect them from the Coronavirus Disease, otherwise COVID.
