EVAG assists Centre of Hope

The Event Vendors Association of Ghana (EVAG), has presented assorted items to the Centre of Hope at Abossey Okai, Accra, to support the Centre serves the needs of its beneficiaries.

The donation, the first the by association was part of activities commemorating the first anniversary of EVAG, which was under the theme: Touching Lives with Every Step.

Mrs. Kate Hassan, President of the Association, who also donated a cheque for GH ¢3,000, said the gesture was to assist the Centre meet the needs of the marginalised in society.

Sr. Paulina Ollo, FMM, who received the donation on behalf of the Administrator of the Centre, thanked the Association for their kind gesture.

She briefed the gathering on the day-to-day activities of the Centre and the number of beneficiaries it takes care of and noted that inadequate funding was a challenge.

Mrs. Theresa Ntiamoah-Marfo, Vice-Chairperson of the Board of the Centre, also touched on the initiative of the late Archbishop Dominic K. Andoh of Accra, who established the Centre to attend to the urban poor, including orphans, persons with disability, and cured lepers as well as those with HIV/AIDS and the marginalised in society.

She commended EVAG for their kindness and appealed to philanthropists and corporate organisations to come to the aid of the Centre.

Members of the Association interacted with beneficiaries and entertained them with good music, while some of the beneficiaries of the Centre staged some performances, including poetry recitals at the programme.

As an association for event vendors, organisers, and management, which was launched in August, 2018, Mrs. Hassan said it aims at bringing all those in the event organising and management industry together, to collaborate and help members to build a better industry.

Mrs. Hassan noted that the association also promotes and encourages the highest level of ethics within the industry, while maintaining the highest standard of professional conduct, and improve the standards through forum, seminars for players to give of their best.

Mr. Ato Kwamena Attuquayefio, Vice President of the Association noted that with over 70 members, the group is committed to maintaining excellence in the industry and to provide standardized service to their clients. 

The Association prior to the donation  had a walk through some principal streets of Accra. 

* Mrs. Hassan presenting the cheque to Sr. Paulina, while some Board Members of the Centre and Members of the Association looked on.

Palmer-Buckle Charity Classic inaugurated

The Chief Justice

 Ms Sophia Akuffo, Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana, has called on well-meaning Ghanaians to support the Archbishop Palmer-Buckle Charity Classic (APBCC) to ensure the completion of the restoration of the Holy Spirit Cathedral and support charity works of the Catholic Church.

She commended the Church for her role in serving the needs of the poor and marginalised in the society over the years, adding that the Catholic Church has shown that it does not only preach the Gospel but also serve the needs of the poor in the society.

The Chief Justice presenting an award to one of the winners

The Chief Justice, as the Special Guest at the inauguration of the APBCC at the Achimota Golf Park, applauded organisers of the programme for using golf, which she refers to as a game of leisure, to raise funds for charity and the restoration of the Cathedral project.

She thanked God for the gift of the Archbishop’s life, whom she recounted knowing when he was Fr. Palmer-Buckle, for being a diligent priest, and commended his profound love and dedication for Ghana.

In his remark, Most Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra said the Cathedral Restoration Project goes beyond cement and mortar, adding that it’s the house of God and a national monument, which must be preserved.

He enumerated a number of national events held in the Cathedral, including the consecration of the Nation to the Sacred Heart on the eve of Ghana’s independence, as well as hosting an ecumenical service during Ghana’s 60th Independence anniversary.

Whilst commending the organisers for putting up the programme, the Local Ordinary urged Parishioners in every parish in the Archdiocese to contribute a minimum of GH¢100 a year or GH¢ 8. 30pessewas per month towards the Cathedral Restoration Project.

Archbishop Palmer-Buckle

The Archbishop explained that the inaugural programme was to raise the seed money not only for the Cathedral Restoration Project, but to support the charity works of the Archdiocese, including the ones being run at the City of God, Agbogloshie, and the Catholic Action for Street Children among others.

Ordained into the Priesthood on 12 December 1976, the Archbishop said he has always loved to be a Priest to serve the people of God, and thanked God for His grace and mercies on his life.

In appealing for support, the could not hide his love for Reggae Music, as he performed his rendition of the Legend Robert Nester Marley’s Redemption Song to the admiration of the patrons and guests.

Dr. Sam Esson Jonah, a business magnate and a Founding Patron of the APBCC donated US$5000 in support of the project, stating that there couldn’t be a worthier course to support than the initiative that goes to support the needs of the poor and the vulnerable in the society. “The Catholic Church represents the very best we should all support”, he added.   

Very Rev. Fr. Samuel Filton-Mensah, Administrator of the Cathedral, taking the guest through a documentary on the cracks in walls of the Holy Spirit Cathedral at Adabraka, observed that the architectural integrity of the Cathedral has been compromised and the edifice was not as strong as it was 60years ago when it was built.

The Administrator, commenting on the severe structural damages on the roof, ceiling, the parapet, basement and tower of the Cathedral as well as cracks on portions of the walls, posted US $1million dollars as the estimated cost of the restoration project.

He explained that the challenge was due to the absence of a periodic maintenance regime of the Cathedral over the years. “We have had challenges because we have not been able to keep up with periodic maintenance” he stressed.

Reporting on efforts being made, Fr. Filton-Mensah in a documentary showed an elevated view of the reconstructed roof-on-roof of the Cathedral with eight vents by Domod Company at GH¢240, 000.

The programme was organised by the founding Patrons of the Archbishop Palmer-Buckle Charity Classic and Catholics in Banking, Finance, Business, Services, Media and their Families and Friends.

Dr. Frank Adu Jr, Managing Director of CAL Bank Limited and a Founding Patron who chaired the inaugural function, described the APBCC as a laudable project, which he argued should be institutionalised to be an annual programme to support the Church’s charity works.

Acknowledging the success of the inaugural event, he said playing golf and raising funds to support charity was commendable.

He however debunked the notion that golf was a sport reserve for the rich and affluent in the society, saying it was a game for everybody, and appealed to the National Sports Council promote the game of golf at the national level.

The inaugural fundraising Golf Tournament to kick start the programme and under the theme: Tee-Off To Restore the Holy Spirit Cathedral, was graced by the celebrated Dance Hall Artist Samini, who helped raised about GH¢ 20,000 during his lively performance, which got the Archbishop and the Priests around dancing.

Other Artist who performed at the function were Daughters of Glorious Jesus and the Black Lace Band who treated the guest to good music.

Winners of the golf tournament male category were Barry Dzadey, Dr. Frnak Adu Jr, Kwaku Okyere and Kofi Dickson. In the female category Vetsch Bempong, Mercy Werner and Aku Yabah were the winners. They were all presented with trophies and awards.

AWA support Centre of Hope

The HAINAN-AWA Foundation, the charity wing of the African World Airlines, recently donated more than GH₵ 3,000 and assorted items to the Centre of Hope at Abossay Okai, Accra.

The donation according to Madam Christabel Amegayibor, Head of Human Resource at AWA, was part of activities to commemorate the 5^th Anniversary of the operation of the airline in Ghana.

She said the gesture by the foundation which is support by the airline and through proceeds from appeals to passenger on the airline was to support the needy and the education of the marginalised.   

In all, the foundation presented five bags 25kilos of rice, 10 cartoons of biscuits, 2 cartoons of milk and Milo, a gallon of cooking oil, washing detergent, toys and books as well as 7 bags of used clothing.

The Mad. Amegayibor(R) presenting the Cheque Sr. Mwaakpaar

Madam Amegayibor, who recounted previous donations the foundation performed at the Osu Children’s Home and Frafraha Orphanage, expressed the hope that the gift would bring a smile on the faces of the Children.

A benefactress passenger Ms. Debbie Otong, who supported the foundation, urged the children to cheer up and take their studies seriously.

Present at the ceremony were some staff of the Africa World Airlines, the beneficiaries and some of their parents.

Rev. Sr. Colette Mwaakpaar, FMM, Administrator of the Centre who received the items, thanked the HAINAN-AWA foundation for the gesture and prayed replenish the amount spent. She said the donation came in handy and would go a long way to support the beneficiaries of the Centre.

As part of the brief ceremony, the beneficiaries recited poems, memory versus and songs to entertain the staff of the Africa World Airlines.