The Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Simon Osei Mensah has asserted that the purpose behind the handing over of provisions to the faith based leaders for distribution in the lock down areas is to ward off politicization.

He uttered that the president’s call is a step in the right direction for the reason that religious leaders have mass followers, which involves a blend of partisans Godly-nurtured people under one umbrella hence their ability to do away with discrimination.

“Politics has been the anthem of Ghanaians in anything now. We should do away with attaching political opinions to the food distribution. Faith-based leaders are in charge of the distribution of food to ward off politicization. Every Ghanaian at least belongs to a religious based institution so there would not be any form of bias due to their neutral stand.

“The president in due of this has directed us to hand over the food items to them to enable the Disaster Management Committee in every District apportion the foods to them,” he ended.

Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo as part of measures to restrain the COVID-19 virus declared a partial lockdown in the Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi, Kasoa and Tema. His objective is to protect households to provide food for four hundred thousand (400,000) individuals and homes.

Per the directives of Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, “the Ministries of Gender, Children and Social Protection and Local Government and Rural Development, and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), working with MMDCEs and the faith-based organizations” will be in charge of providing food for up to four hundred thousand (400,000) individuals and homes in the affected areas of the restrictions.

A handing over formality took place on Wednesday, April 8, 2020 at the forecourt of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) in the capital of the Ashanti Region to assign the president’s mandate of distribution to the faith-based leaders.

READ ALSO:

“We are not responsible for food distribution" - KMA Presiding Member

The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) Director, Hon. Agyemang Prempeh handed over provisions of 100,000 packs of rice, Sardines, Gari, Beans and many others to the Regional Minister before the Anglican Archbishop of Kumasi, Most Rev. Prof. Daniel Y. Asafo accepted the items on behalf of the vulnerable in the Region.

According to Most Rev. Prof. Daniel Asafo, the decision to choose a particular church as a warehouse for the food allocation within the 14 Districts was determined by the Municipal Chief Executives. He suspended further rumors that puts them in a pole position in the course of giving out the foods.

“Certain churches are raising complaints that they have been left out in the food sharing. I want to make it clear that the provisions is purposely for the vulnerable in the society, not the church. If any church member comes around and fits the laid down measures, why not, we will offer him or her food,” he said.

“We are all helping to make this job easier and the government’s directives to be accomplished. We are thankful to the president and will make sure to do the sharing just as he directed us to. God bless him,” he added.

Hon Simon Osei Mensah further cautioned that people at the locked down areas should not be much hooked on the items given that he as the Regional Minister is exempted from the criteria, which is precisely allocated to the vulnerable in the 14 Districts.

“I cannot use my position as the Regional Minister and go and access the supply of these items. That will be criminal on my part.

“So those who have the capacity to buy and fend for themselves. We beg them not to rush to the place. They should allow the most needy to go for these items,” he ended.