The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) has extended a helping hand to alleviate the impact of the Akosombo Dam spillage on residents in the Volta Region. The charitable endeavor saw LDS donating relief supplies worth $300,000 to the affected constituencies in the region.
Working closely with Members of Parliament representing the affected constituencies, including South Tongu, Central Tongu, North Tongu, South Dayi, and Ketu South, LDS delivered an impressive five large truckloads of essential items. The donated supplies encompassed a wide range of necessities, including medical equipment, food, emergency sanitation items such as rice, mosquito nets, aquatabs, student mattresses with blankets, boots, and boxes of canned mackerel, among other essentials.
These relief items were thoughtfully distributed evenly among the constituencies, with a comprehensive breakdown of the supplies. This included 1,500 mattresses, 1,500 blankets, 1,000 bags of 5kg rice, 500 cans of mackerel, 420 bottles of 12-liter oil, 500 pairs of boots, 1,500 mosquito nets, 250 boxes of sanitary pads, 1,000 packs of T-rolls, and 100 boxes of liquid soap.
Elder Jörg Klebingat, General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Africa West Area, explained the motive behind this charitable gesture for the victims of the dam spillage. He highlighted the church’s commitment to fulfilling the second great commandment, which focuses on caring for others without expecting anything in return.
“We donated these items simply for only one reason, and that is to keep the second great commandment – to take care of our fellow men. Also, we donate without any expectation of getting any favors or something in return,” he stated.
Elder Klebingat also revealed the church’s future plans to support the flood victims, emphasizing their commitment to conducting further assessments to determine the pressing needs of the people and providing continuous support.
“As a church, we try to be the first on-site, and often we’re the last to leave. We will be very happy to continue working with the officials there, and our own people will also be on the ground doing further assessments,” he explained.
In response to the church’s plans to assist the government in providing better accommodation for flood victims, he stressed the church’s willingness to collaborate with local governments to identify second-level needs in the region and contribute where possible.
Flint Ekyem Mensah, Director for Temporal Affairs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints – Africa West Area, mentioned that to address the specific needs of the people, they sought input from the MPs of the five affected communities, who provided a list of the required items.
Moreover, he emphasized that if the church is notified of any additional support required in other affected regions, such as the Eastern region, they are prepared to offer the necessary assistance.
The LDS’s generous donation of $300,000 worth of relief supplies to the Akosombo Dam spillage victims in the Volta Region exemplifies their commitment to helping those in need and their dedication to providing ongoing support in times of crisis.