Accra Fire, Flood Victims Grateful To Despite Group

SOME VICTIMS of the June 3 fire and flood disaster at Accra have commended the Despite Group of Companies for being socially responsible.

The victims who showered praises on the group in an interview with DAILY GUIDE on Friday in Accra, were among 152 survivals of the disaster who received various relief packages, including clothing, chocolate drinks, wrapper suits and a cash amount of GH¢1,400 each from the group through the Despite Group Disaster Fund which was set up on June 10 after the tragedy.

The victims, including some elderly, children and youth, could not hold back their tears as they praised the group for changing their lives for the better once again after the tragedy that killed nearly 200 persons and destroyed several properties running into several millions of Ghana cedis within the metropolis.

'I don't know what to say. They have really done well for us and I must say I am really grateful to them for that,' 36 year-old Joseph Amoh who had burns on his face as a result of the fire told DAILY GUIDE at the Police Hospital in Accra.

Eight-year-old Anita Nkansah could not say a word but the smiles on her face as she received her cash donation from the Despite Group could tell just how grateful she was.

Medical Director of the Ghana Police Hospital, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Dr Samuel Amu Mensah, expressed gratitude to the group for coming to the aid of the victims, especially when a lot of them had lost everything.

Ordeals
The victims also narrated their experiences on that fateful night to DAILY GUIDE.

Narrating his ordeals on that fateful night, Mr Amoh said, 'It wasn't easy for me. I was buying something when the rain started falling so I decided to enter the filling station for shelter. I had to struggle hard to get out when the fire started.'

Telling his side of the story on that night, Mr Maduka whose body has been completely disfigured due to the fire said, 'I was selling mobile phones at the Nkrumah Circle when the rain started and I decided to run to the Goil filling station to seek shelter. I was there at the station when the fire started.'

He continued that some of his colleagues also visited a Nigerian restaurant close to the Goil station that night and the restaurant also reportedly got burnt but he could not give an account of what happened to them (friends) after the fire.

Joseph Amoh receiving his cash donation from DCOP Dr. Samuel Mensah

About the fund
Meanwhile, News Editor of Peace FM, Yaw Obeng-Manu, who was part of the Despite Group's delegation for the donation, told DAILY GUIDE the fund was established in response to the June 3 disaster out of the group's love for the victims.

Addressing the victims at the respective hospitals, Mr Manu urged that they (victims) who received the money to cultivate the habit of saving in order to have some money set aside for any unforeseen circumstances in the future.

BY Melvin Tarlue