From Sebastian R. Freiku
Mr. Peter Anarfi-Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, has cut the sod for the commencement of work on an ultra-modern of complex and clinic for the aged at Toase in the Atwima Nwabiagya District of the Ashanti Region. The project is being undertaken by the Society for the Aged (SOFAR), a non-governmental and non-profit making organisation.The Regional Minister entreated the youth to seek the welfare of their aged relatives, while sojourning in the Diaspora to improve upon their livelihoods. He bemoaned the situation where the youth neglect old relatives or parents for the simple reason that cost of living is high and it was hard to make ends meet.
He revealed that everyone has been a child before, but not everyone had been aged, and tasked everybody to take the issues of the aged serious, to ensure sure that they were given the needed support and attention, to enable them live comfortably in their old age. Mr. Anarfi-Mensah underscored the need for the aged to be supported, hence the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme.
Mr. Anthony Osei Boakye, Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, commended Nana Capt. Asiamah Afrifa (rtd), Chief of Toase and the Ashanti Regional representative on the Council of State, for the release of a four-acre piece of land for the project in support of the association. The MP hoped the project would impact on the aged, and urged all to support the founder of the association to do more.
Nana Asare Bediako, District Chief Executive for Atwima Nwabiagya, pleaded with nananom to emulate the Chief of Toase for his tremendous efforts in ensuring that the Society for the Aged establishes its own office complex and clinic. The DCE also made a passionate appealed to other corporate organisations and philanthropists to poll resources towards the welfare of the aged.
Rev. M. K. George Aduboffuor, Founder and Executive Director of SOFAR, explained that his outfit, founded in 2003, is to promote the wellbeing of older persons in the Ghanaian society. He disclosed that SOFAR boasts of over 8,700 in all the regions and other districts in Ghana. According to him, the objectives of the association were to create public awareness on aging issues, and the problems facing older persons. Founder Aduboffuor pleaded with all stakeholders to come to their aid in raising funds for the early completion of the project.