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Weija Leprosarium has challenges — Campbell

Father Andrew CampbellThe Chairman of the Lepers Aid Committee, Rev. Fr Andrew Campbell, has  outlined inadequate infrastructure, lack of social amenities and inadequate funding as the major challenges facing the  Weija Leprosarium in Accra.

He further explained that apart from those challenges, families of the inmates had deserted them over the years, since they were considered unclean.

“Inmates of the leprosarium are human, just as any other individual in the country, and need to be treated as such. It is no fault of theirs that they had the condition,” he added.

He was speaking after members of  the Controller and Accountant General’s Employees’ Co-operative Credit Union (CAGECCU)  had donated some items to the Weija Leprosarium in Accra. The donation was part of activities marking the 25th anniversary of the union.

Father Campbell said the Weija Leprosarium paid for utility bills and its maintenance and  owed electricity bill of GH¢6,000.

He  appealed to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to write off the debt, since inmates were not in the position to pay.

He expressed concern that from May to August 2013, the inmates did not receive any support from the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP).

Father Campbell said a number of programmes had been planned to raise funds to support the inmates. He stated that there would be a concert at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Accra on  December  15, 2013.

He appealed to Ghanaians to support lepers in the country and other underprivileged people in society.

The Chairman of the union, Mr A.B. Crabbe, said, “The management of the union thought it wise to lend its support to the inmates of the Weija Leprosarium, having heard of the plight of our brothers and sisters in this institution.”

Mr Crabbe donated two bags of rice, two bags of gari, two bags of maize, two bags of beans, two gallons of cooking oil, two boxes of washing soap and two boxes of toilet soap totalling GH¢3,000.

Daily Graphic/Ghana

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