The Management and staff of the Bank of Ghana have donated GH¢5,000.00 (Five thousand Ghana cedis) to the Lepers Aid Committee to support the work of the Committee in bringing relief to the Lepers at the Weija Leprosarium.

The Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Mr K. B. Amissah-Arthur who made the presentation at the Bank’s Annual Thanksgiving Service and Nine Lessons and Carols Service held at the Banquet Hall of the State House said the donation is part of the Bank’s corporate social responsibility programmes. The Governor said the Bank has been making donations to several institutions and worthy causes but considered it appropriate to support the Lepers Aid Committee in bringing relief to the Lepers in Ghana during the festive season of Christmas and the New Year.

In his acceptance statement, the Chairman of the Lepers Aid Committee, Father Campbell, said the Committee was founded nearly 20 years ago to assist Lepers in Ghana. He regretted that currently, no leper in Ghana receives assistance from the Government. He said, in the past, Lepers in the Weija leprosarium received GH¢0.60 (sixty Ghana pesewas) a day but this stopped in November 2006.

Father Campbell said the Lepers Aid Committee through its fund-raising activities over the years has been supporting the lepers in Weija, Ho and Nkanchina in the Northern Region. In Weija, they take care of the 32 lepers by supplying them with food, medicines, maintenance of buildings and payment of their utility bills. Ho and Nkanchina has a population of about 150 and 210 lepers respectively and the Lepers Aid Committee supports these communities with large consignments of food, drugs and clothing.