Okyenhene raises funds for the blind

Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, Okyenhene, on Monday reiterated the call to society to be caring and loving to deprived children and the visually impaired to unearth their capabilities in contributing towards the building of the nation.

"Some of us have the ability to think and work and if we fail our children and the visually impaired there will be no country. "Osagyefo Ofori Panin was launching an appeal to raise 20 million cedis at the annual "Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh" musical show organised by the

International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) in Accra to support the Society of the Blind and the Central Aid Educational Scholarship for needy students.

Part of the money realised will go into the one billion cedi fund for the blind set up by the Okyenhene while another part will be used to set up an agricultural training centre, a computer training centre and a Braille library for the blind.

The Okyenhene said: "We the physically strong have the ability to do things for ourselves and we have the responsibility to care for the blind who have not volunteered to be blind. You are either born with it or a disease turns you into a blind person."

However, most blind people such as Steven Wonder, a renowned musician, made it because someone helped them, Osagyefo said, adding, "We can do the same for the blind in our society despite the economic crisis."

The Reverend Dr Mensa Otabil, General Overseer of the ICGC, said the church instituted the annual event to commemorate the presentation of gifts by the wise men at the birth of Jesus Christ.

"For us, Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh as an event, is celebrated on the eve of Christmas, by hosting a musical concert to raise funds to support credible organisations actively involved in human welfare."

Rev. Otabil said 25 percent of the amount raised would go into the sponsorship of the needy students under the Central Aid Educational Scholarship scheme.

Since the inception of the annual event, funds have been raised to support the International Needs, an NGO engaged in the rehabilitation of liberated Trokosis, the Mammocare, which assists in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer, the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery and Burns Centre and the Cardio-Thoracic Centre all of the Korle-Bu Teaching hospital.

Musical artists including Pastor Joe Bechem, the Reverend John Teye Memorial School Band, the Alabaster Box, the Shepherds and the Philharmonic Choir of the ICGC entertained the congregation to soul searching and inspiring music.