In the last few weeks, Muslims around the world have fasted religiously in commemoration of Ramadan, one of the holiest months on the Islamic calendar, which culminated in the celebration of the Eid festival last week. Ramadan is also a time when many Muslims extend humanitarian assistance to fellow Muslims who may not have what it takes to support themselves during that period.
Over the last few weeks, in collaboration with the Embassy of Turkey, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Turkey Diyanet Foundation have distributed Ramadan aid to vulnerable Muslims all over the country.
As part of the humanitarian support initiative, Turkish Ambassador Dr. Özlem Ergün Ulueren paid a courtesy call on Chief Imam Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu on 30th April, 2021. She wished the Chief Imam a blessed Ramadan fast and congratulated him on the occasion of his 102nd birthday.
This year, the Turkish Embassy distributed 1,000 Ramadan food boxes on behalf of Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), through the Office of the Chief Imam, Vice Presidency, Coalition of Muslim Organizations Ghana (COMOG), Legon branch of Ghana Muslim Students Association and Ayawaso North Municipality.
Ambassador Ulueren said that the Turkish Coordination and Cooperation Agency (TİKA) was a strong arm of the Turkish Government specializing in humanitarian and development assistance. The agency operates fifteen program coordination offices on the African continent which provide capacity building, technical and development assistance.
Since the start of Ramadan, in coordination with the Turkish Embassy, the Turkey Diyanet Foundation has distributed 4,500 food packages in Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, Cape Coast, Koforidua and Bawku, along with 1,500 iftar parcels. The Foundation is keen to continue engaging Ghanaian authorities on other humanitarian projects throughout the year. A Diyanet Foundation delegation that visited Ghana recently inaugurated 5 solar powered boreholes. Other Turkish NGOs also distributed food items on the occasion of Ramadan across the country.
Ambassador Ulueren underlines that humanitarian assistance constitutes an important dimension of Turkey’s enterprising foreign policy, which reflects the characteristics of the Turkish nation, and that Turkey will continue to be a prominent actor in this field by focusing on the human cause through her official development and humanitarian assistance programs.
