Prime News Ghana

Mahama cautions against politicization of free food for vulnerable groups

By Mutala Yakubu
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Former President John Mahama has cautioned against the politicization of the free food arrangement for vulnerable groups.

This forms part of the government's measures to mitigate the impact of the lockdown.

President Akufo-Addo in his address last Sunday announced a feeding arrangement for some 400,000 people in collaboration with faith-based organization.

READ ALSO: Polytanks, water tankers will be available to supply free water - Cecilia Dapaah

The Minister for Gender Cynthia Morrison at a press briefing yesterday said no one in the vulnerable bracket will be left out.

Mahama says the announcement from the government is welcome news but partisan interest should be put aside.

"The President's announcement of the distribution of food to deprived communities is welcome news and as the President said this will be in collaboration with faith-based organizations. This is good news because if care is not taken in both the distribution and procurement of the food, partisan and parochial interest will defeat the purpose of the whole gesture".

On Tuesday, April 7, 2020, some of Ghana's political movers and shakers set aside their ideological differences to support the trustees of the Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund as they distribute hot meals to head porters, popularly known as ‘kayayei’ in Accra.

The Fund’s ‘Feed a kayayo’ project aims to provide one hot meal a day to at least 10,000 ‘kayayei’ in Accra and Kumasi, the areas which have been placed on lockdown as part of measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

The NDC’s Elvis Afriyie Ankrah (former Youth and Sports Minister), Maame Efua Houajeto (deputy National Women’s Organiser) and Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong (former Attorney General) have been working together in unity with the NPP’s Barbara Oteng-Gyasi (Tourism Minister), Sammi Awuku (National Youth Organiser), and Gifty Oware-Aboagye (deputy Executive Director of the National Service Secretariat) to distribute the food packs to the head porters.