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To support vulnerable individuals and groups amid the restriction of movement, the Tobinco Group of Companies on Sunday distributed food items worth GH¢220,000.00 to 2,000 vulnerable families in movement restricted areas across the country.

Beneficiary communities in the Greater Accra Region included Kotobabi, Mamobi-Nima, Agbogbloshie, Old Fadama, Chorkor, and Pig Farm.

Every family or room in a household received a packaged box containing a 5kg bag of rice, gari, onions, mackerel, sardines, champagne, cooking oil, tin tomatoes, sugar and biscuits.

The house-to-house mode of distribution was to prevent the possibility of overcrowding in the beneficiary areas and ensure that the social distancing protocol and ‘stay home' directives were adhered to.

Dr Samuel Nana Amo Tobin, the Chairman of the Tobinco Group of Companies, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the critical moment when the nation was battling with COVID-19, was also when individuals and corporate institutions had to show more love to the needy.

He commended benevolent entities for supporting government to contain the effects of the pandemic; however, he suggested that the manner in which food items were shared to the needy be improved as it encouraged overcrowdings.

“That is why we decided to move from house to house to share to families. The excitement with which people ran to meet us meant they were expecting help in this difficult time. This means if the foods were distributed on the streets, many of them would have run to the streets which would have made it impossible to observe the social distancing protocol,” he added.

Dr Tobbin called on all to support others in need, saying: “Don’t wait to get too much before you help others. If people are not getting food to eat and you can send a little mobile money to help them, please do it.

“A woman approached me and said she was ready to give out her daughter to me to be used for an advert of any of the Tobinco product, just so I could give her food to eat. This touched my heart and I realised the extent to which people needed support in this challenging moment of COVID-19.”

The Group Chairman advised the public to observe the COVID-19 safety measures by washing their hands often with soap under running water, using hand sanitizers frequently, observing social distancing protocol, avoiding touching eyes, mouth and nose, and covering mouth or nose with disposable tissues when coughing or sneezing to stay safe.

“However, I plead with everyone that if you are not among the essential service providers, then stay home because that is the only way we can emerge victorious over this novel Coronavirus and save this nation,” he added.

The Tobinco Group had earlier on donated Tobcee chewable Vitamin C plus Glucose tablet, Zinvite blood capsules, B-G-Glutamine plus tab, Omal hand sanitizers, face masks, aluminum veronica buckets, and handwashing bowls at a total cost of GH¢251,000.00 to the Ministry of Health to help in the management of COVID-19.

The Group constitutes Tobinco Pharmaceuticals Limited, Samuel Amo Tobin Foundation, ABii National Savings and Loans, Entrance Pharmaceuticals and Research Centre, Priority Insurance, Atinka Media Village, Entrance University and Entrance University Hospital, D’or Events, and Toblues Properties Limited.

As at Sunday April 19, 2020, Ghana has recorded a total of 834 confirmed cases of the COVID-19, with 99 recoveries and nine deaths.