Catholic Bishops' Conference entreats their members to support Appiatse victims

The Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference (GCBC) has appealed to Catholic members and people of goodwill to donate towards the relief process of the Appiatse explosion victims.

The donations, it said must be sent through the Bishop of Sekondi-Takoradi for onward presentation to the victims.

This was contained in a press statement issued and signed by its President, Most Reverend Philip Naameh in commiseration with the people of Appiatse, and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Takoradi on Wednesday.

'We, the members of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference (GCBC), wish to express our profound sympathy to all the victims of the fatal explosion at Appiatse in the Western Region of Ghana”, the statement said.

Last Thursday's tragic explosion at Appiatse, near Bogoso in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality left several residents of the community with varied degrees of injuries, displaced hundreds of the inhabitants and killed 14 people.

The Catholic Bishops commended the Government and other stakeholders and donors for their prompt response and interventions to bring relief to the victims.

However, it said lessons must be learnt from the unfortunate incident by strictly enforcing laws and regulations to avert similar occurrences in the future.

“It is our hope and prayer that as a nation, we shall learn the needed lessons from this latest fatal development and ensure that regulations are strictly enforced in the country and the appropriate punishments meted out to deserving offenders. May the necessary measures be taken to avert similar occurrences in the future”.

The statement ended with the Bishops assuring the victims, especially the injured, of their continuous prayers for speedy recovery as well as emotional and psychological healing.

“We also pray for strength and consolation for the families who lost their relatives. We also pray for the peaceful repose of the souls of those who have died”, the statement added.

GNA