Regional News of Tuesday, 24 May 2005

Source: GNA

Govt asked to resource the Dept of Social Welfare

Oyoko (Ash), May 24, GNA-Government has been asked to adequately resource the Department of Social Welfare to enable it support orphanages in the country.

Orphanages require logistics and other forms of assistance to enable them to train inmates so that the could acquire knowledge and skills needed for national development.

The Reverend Martin Obeng-Adu, Superintendent Minister in-charge of the Ramseyer Presbyterian Church at Adum in Kumasi made the appeal when the Church donated three million cedis to the Westphalian Childrens' Village at Oyoko in the Sekyere East District of Ashanti. The donation is part of a charity programme embarked upon by the church each year with contributions from the members during the Easter season.

The Village, which has a total of 66 children with three currently in various tertiary institutions in the country, has a hospital and a vocational training centre.

Mr Owusu Baah-Amponsah, Director of the Village who received the donation, thanked the church for the gesture, and promised that the money would be put to good use.

In a related development, the Church donated 1.5 million cedis to the ASHAN Orphanage at Offinso, which started with 54 inmates about six years ago.

Mr Jim Akwasi Konadu, Director and founder, commended the church for the assistance and called on individuals, philanthropists and organisations to support the Orphanage to enable it to expand facilities there.