President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Friday presented quantities of hand washing items to the Muslim and Christian communities to enable their members observe good hygiene in their places of worship.

The donations follow the partial lifting of the restrictions on social gatherings to enable Christians and Muslims to gather and worship in small groups.

The items are 9 ,900 sets of Veronica buckets which include water containers, metal stands, waste water collectors as well as, 9,900 nose masks, 19,800 bottles of liquid soap, 19,800 bottles of hand sanitisers and 9,900 paper tissues.

The office of the National Chief Imam, Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Shia Muslim Community, Ghana Muslim Mission, Tijania Muslim Community and Tijania Muslim Council received a total of 2,500 sets of items.

The Christian Community also got 7,400 sets of the items to be distributed among the Christian Council of Ghana, Ghana Pentecostal Churches Council, Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, Independent Churches Association of Ghana, National Clergy Association of Ghana, Seventh Day Adventist Church, National Association of Charismatic Churches Council and the United Prayer Network. 

Presenting the items on behalf of President Akufo-Addo, the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Hajia Alima Mahama, said the government has plans to distribute 50,000 sets of similar items to the churches and mosques in the various districts in the country.

The presentation is a gift of appreciation from President Akufo-Addo in recognition of the prayers, support and understanding by the religious groups since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, she said.

She said in the President’s 10th broadcast on measures to fight the pandemic, the suspension of religious gatherings was lifted to enable believers gather in small groups and worship.

She appealed to religious bodies to observe strict hygiene protocols and social distancing arrangements to avoid communal spread of the virus.

The minister said the donations are expected to help churches and mosques in the washing of their hands and also help prevent the spread of the pandemic when they start their services.

Receiving the items, the Apostle General of the Royal House Chapel, Rev. Sam Korankyi Ankrah, who stood in for Archbishop Duncan Williams, and the Personal Assistant to the National Chief Imam, Alhaji M. Khuzaima, thanked the President for the gesture, saying that the presentation would go a long way to help their members to observe the protocols.

BY YAW KYEI