The Jospong Group of Companies has donated relief items worth thousands of Ghana cedis to victims of Appiatse community explosion.
The donation comes as an act of benevolence from the Group to commiserate with families of victims and the entire community of Appiatse.
The items presented included 100 bags of rice, 50 bags of 100kg gari, 50 bags of 100kg beans, 2,000 exercise books for schoolchildren, 100 units of buckets and 9 gallons of liquid soap as well as 50 bottles of hand-sanitiser.
Appiatse is the mining community between Bogoso and Bawdie in the Western Region that was involved in a fatal explosion which ruined the entire community – leaving 13 people dead and many others severely injured – when a mining-explosives vehicle collided with a motorcycle, resulting in the explosion earlier this year.
Leading the team to present the items, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of Jospong Group of Companies, Sophia Kudjordji said: “We are all witnesses to the unfortunate incident that happened a month ago at Appiatse; in view of this, the Executive Chairman of Jospong Group of Companies pushed us to contact you and learn what exactly would be needed for the victims.
“Today, we are here in the name of the Jospong Group of Companies – including Zoomlion and other subsidiaries – to bring you these items based on the request you made, and we have also added few other things.”
She added that: “Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Group had been going around the country supporting with disinfection; and with this incident we sympathise with you, especially in your mosy trying moments. We pray that God Almighty will comfort you and help you to overcome this”.
The Western Regional Manager of Zoomlion, Abdulai Abdullah, indicated that the mission of Jospong Group of Companies is to “improve the people’s lives”, and added that the Jospong Group of Companies sees this as a golden opportunity “to show our widow’s-mite as far as the disaster is concerned….so we have been with people of Appiatse right from the onset of this disaster”.
He further indicated that: “These items are not the only ones we brought; but we had initially brought communal containers that were supposed to take care of the waste situation in the community. Our workers are around to support as far as cleaning the community is concerned”.
Receiving the items on behalf of Appiatse community victims, the Divisional Chief of Bepoh, Nana Atta Kojo Beremebi II, thanked the Jospong Group of Companies for its kind gesture.
He assured that the items will be shared accordingly.
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Prestea Huni Valley, Mr. Isaac Dasomani – who accompanied the divisional chief of Bepoh to receive the items, expressed the community’s profound gratitude to the Jospong Group of Companies.
“In fact, Jospong Group of Companies has demonstrated leadership by donating such essential items.”
He said that the Lord has been so good and wonderful to victims of the Appiatse explosion: because since the incident happened, loads of people continue to come to their aid by way of donating in both cash and kind.
He said looking at the items being donated by Jospong Group, they will go a long way to support the community.
“My office will make sure that distribution is done accordingly,” he assured.
The MCE, Mr. Dasomani, said their biggest challenge is a vehicle that will be used for conveying the children to school.
According to him, out of a population of 964 about 40% are schoolchildren.
He therefore, appealed for organisations to support them with mini-buses to convey the children to school.
He further revealed that there will be a mass-burial for the 7 deceased on Friday.
The team from Zoomlion and Jospong Group, led by Chaplain Pastor Danso, used the opportunity to pray for victims of the Appiatse explosion.
“May almighty God help the children of this community rebuild a new Appiatse that is strong enough to stand on its feet, so that the narrative of this community will continue.”
Other members of the delegation from the Jospong Group of Companies were Mrs. Emma Adwoa Appiaa Osei-Duah, Communications and Corporate Affairs Director-Zoomlion; Mr. Thomas N. Korley, Zoomlion Foundation; National Project Officer, Mr. Jephthah Tetteh; and Idris Adam, Communications and Corporate Affairs.
