XpressGas Limited, a distributor and marketer of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in Ghana, has supported two special needs schools with free LP gas for a year, as well as donations worth GH₵15,000.
The schools are the New Horizon Special School and Dzorwulu Special School.
The Board Chair of XpressGas Limited, Prof. Josephine Nketsia-Tabiri, said the donations to the schools are important to XpressGas because the company believes in giving back to the society that supports its business.
According to her, XpressGas identifies the educational sector as a key area to provide support for, especially schools with special needs as this sector is often neglected.
“XpressGas is very happy to support the New Horizon Special School and Dzorwulu Special School. As an organisation committed to promoting socioeconomic development, we want to impact lives and improve the well-being of less-privileged people in society through meaningful interventions such as this. The well-being of these special children is important to us, hence we are here today to interact with the children and show them the love of Christ at Easter,” she said.
Prof. Josephine Nketsia-Tabiri said children with special needs have very special capabilities and talents needed for society’s development. She reminded everyone about the exemplary story of Farida Bedwei, who has cerebral palsy but is one of the country’s most successful software engineers.
Prof. Nketsia-Tabiri therefore admonished parents and the general public to welcome and relate well with children with special needs rather than making unsavoury comments about them, as this negatively affects their self-worth and human dignity.
She lauded the founder of New Horizon Special School, Madam Salome Francois, for identifying this challenge in society and demonstrating passion and selfless dedication toward providing an all-around support system for the children.
“Madam Salome Francois is a heroine of change. Even at age 88 she is still giving her all to help these children find a sense of purpose in life. This is an incredible story worth telling, as XpressGas believes developing a country is not the sole responsibility of government but also corporate organisations and every Ghanaian for that matter,” she added.
Founder and Director of New Horizon Special School Madam Salome Francois expressed her appreciation to XpressGas for the support, which according to her will go into the school’s record as one of the biggest.
On her part, Vanessa Adu-Akorsah-School Principal of the New Horizon Special School, praised staff of the company for the visit and also spending time with the children.
“Children with special needs when given the right physiotherapy are able to react and respond very well. Through the therapy assessment and day-to-day care-support, these children progress and take up various vocational training. For instance, they take classes in basketry, kente-weaving, sewing, catering, and beads-making,” she said.
Some of the items donated to the schools included bags of rice, cooking oil, cartons of milk, bags of beans and gari, cartons of frozen chicken and toiletries among many other items.
Madam Veronica Sackey, Headmistress of the School, expressed her heartfelt gratitude for the gesture and pledged to put the items to good use.
In a separate development, XpressGas has also rolled out a new initiative dubbed ‘Swap’N’Go’, aimed at providing gas to clients on a door-to-door delivery basis.
As part of the service, the company explained, it will also be providing maintenance check-ups on client’s cylinders for leakages and faulty valves.
