The Lepers Aid Committee, as part of the World Leprosy Day at the weekend, commissioned a 40-room accommodation for cured lepers in Kpandai Nkanchina in the Northern Region.
The gesture was to provide decent and comfortable places for the cured lepers upon their request to the committee.
Reverend Father Andrew Campbell, Board Chairman of the committee, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said during the 2014 World Leprosy Day, held at Nkanchina, the cured lepers made a request for a decent accommodation, since the existing buildings were dilapidated.
He said upon the request, Nana Kumakwi, chief of Nkanchina, donated a land for the proposed building project, and on January 31, 2015, there was a groundbreaking ceremony for the project, which commenced on February 15, 2015.
Rev Campbell emphasised that 80 per cent of the manual workforce was from the local people, adding that a challenge facing the project was sourcing for main building materials, adding they had to obtain chippings from Congo in the Upper East Region and sand from Makango in the Northern Region.
Rev Campbell said President Mahama donated bags of rice, gallons of cooking oil, clothing, Milo, sugar and detergent when he visited his office prior to the journey, and presented a cash amount of GH¢250 for each of the 88 resident lepers.
He said President Mahama has been making the donation every year as a way of showing love, care and compassion for the less privileged in society, and urged all corporate bodies to continue to come their aid.
Rev Campbell appealed to the public not to neglect the lepers but show care for them since they are human beings and deserve to be treated as such.
He appreciated the efforts of all who helped in the building of the project, including District Assemblies’ Common Fund, LMI holdings, Ghana International Bank, Rural Water Development Programme of Church of Christ, Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority, and Samara Company Limited.
Archbishop Gregory Kpeibaya, Archbishop Emeritus of Tamale, thanked all who helped in supporting the lepers, adding that the gesture has brought hope to the cured lepers in the community.
Nana Kumakwi thanked the President for the donation, and appealed him to address the challenges facing the community such as health facilities, potable water, bad roads, electricity and education.
Mr Mercy Lamwara, a leper, thanked all who supported them, and prayed for strength and health for President Mahama to lead the country.
World Leprosy Day is observed internationally on the last Sunday of January to increase the public awareness of the disease.
The day was chosen to commemorate the death of Gandhi, a leader of India, who understood the importance of leprosy.
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