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UPF-Ghana Observes UN International Day of Peace
Written by Dr. Helen M. Osei, Secretary General, UPF-Ghana
Wednesday, September 21, 2022
Anyinam, Ghana—On September 21, 2022, the Universal Peace Federation, Ghana, and its sister organizations, FFWPU and WFWP, collaboratively marked the United Nations International Day of Peace in Anyinam, in the eastern region of Ghana. This time, it was not observed in the usual conference manner, but with a service project titled: Charity Impact 2022. Also, it was not held within the nation’s capital, Accra, but in the Atiwa East District, in Anyinam.
We had proposed to use the UN International Day of Peace to hold an Ambassadors for Peace Festival to bring all members, old and new, together. However, the time was too short to prepare well. We decided therefore, to visit the regional chapter of the Ghana Society of Persons with Disabilities, to share with them a moment of peace. In that region alone, they have about 725 disabled persons.
To begin, UPF sent out letters to members and associates, requesting that they donate whatever they could, including food and clothing. Members were also asked to reach out to their friends.
When the FFWPU and WFWP leaders were informed of the program, they welcomed the idea. Within two weeks, we had gathered items and cash from FFWPU members, WFWP members and UPF Ambassadors for Peace, though of course, not as much as we had expected.
Five UPF executive members and two each from the two sister organizations were planning to go, altogether a team of nine people. On the morning of September 21, we had only one vehicle available so only the following people embarked on the journey: 1) Mr. Fuseini Frank Adongo, UPF chairman; 2) Rev. Tegha King Jr., national coordinator, UPF associations; 3) Mrs. Marthe Whyte, FFWPU vice national leader; 4) WFWP-Ghana president, and 5) Dr. Helen Osei, UPF-Ghana secretary general. Our goal, to present the items and the cash to the executives of the Ghana Society of Persons with Disabilities.
Ghana national leader, Rev. James Aidoo, was teaching a 7-day DP workshop and could not go, but he prayed for us before we took off. Hon. Adongo brought his pick-up truck for the journey. In less than two hours, we arrived at Anyinam. We met Mr. Isaac Wadi, an Ambassador for Peace through whom we were able to connect to the Ghana Society of Persons with Disabilities. He took us to meet their chairman, Mr. Samuel Addasi.
We had originally requested that on arrival, we first visit the Paramount Chief of the land, Chief Barima Okogyeabusua Banin Duodu, to introduce our mission. Together with Mr. Addasi and Mr. Wadi, we drove to the Chief’s palace. Mr. Wadi had also arranged for the media and some of their executives to meet us there.
Upon arrival at the palace, the Chief was very happy to see us. He said our visit was the very first of its kind. The Chief mentioned that anyone can become handicapped, if not for God’s intervention and protection. It was, therefore, very laudable that we came to show love to the disabled in his area. He then asked us to introduce ourselves. As custom demands, we did the introductions. Then Dr. Osei officially explained our purpose of coming. The Chief shook hands with all of us. He then requested that we do the handing over ceremony of the items there in his palace. With a sense of humor, we did exactly as he asked.
There were seven big bags of items such as clothes, shoes, handbags, mosquito nets, packets of sanitizers/masks. There was also cash in the amount of GHS4700.0 (4,700 Ghana cedis, which is $4,000USD). All the donations were handed over to the executives of the Ghana Society of Persons with Disabilities in front of the Chief. We separately handed to the chief two bottles of schnapps.
While leaving Accra that morning, the CEO of ESE Drinking Water and ESEFORT Organic Fertilizer, Apostle Bill Forcha, who made the largest donation to the disabled, gave us a sample of his company’s organic fertilizer and the ESE Water, asking us to introduce these items to the people. As we presented our donations to the Society in front of the Chief at his palace, we decided to also do a demonstration of Apostle Forcha’s items to the Chief. Being a cocoa farmer, he was overjoyed at the gift of organic fertilizer and promised to use it as a prototype at his farm. As to the water, he was surprised to observe the inefficacy in the various types of water the people have been drinking. He therefore assured us that he will take measures to see that his people live their lives in accordance with health rules.
Although, there was a funeral taking place on that day in the community, the chief granted us sufficient audience until we finished.
As we left the palace, we moved to a hotel in the town where we held a brief meeting with the eight executive members of the Ghana Society of Persons with Disabilities. There, the UPF chairman, Mr. Adongo, tried to find out more about them, and possibly, the challenges they face. According to their secretary, Mr. Gideon Boanso, they have chapters in all the 16 regions of Ghana. They are designated quarterly by the government to receive 3% of the District Assembly’s Common Funds, but many times there is an unnecessary delay in the release of the money by the Assembly. This he said, frustrates their plans. Moreover, their grown-up sons, who are not disabled, are not even considered for any public service employment. These are some of their constraints.
Having listened to them and shared their pain with them, we encouraged them to have faith in God and look forward to a better opportunity working with UPF in the coming year. We also agreed to set a time schedule to hold capacity-building workshops for them and their families, to integrate them into the 2027 Action Plan set up by the UPF co-founder, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, the Mother of Peace. They were more than happy with our visit. We ended the meeting with a group photo and departed for Accra.
A reporter, Mr. Ernest Amponsah from OM Radio in the Eastern Region, covered the event.
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