Don't neglect the aged, widows - Arya Family head appeals to community members

The head of the Armah Family within the Arya Ebusua of Gomoa Ojobi in the Central Region, Stephen Armah, has advised Ghanaians to support the vulnerable in society as they celebrate this year's Christmas and New Year festivities.

Speaking during the family's annual thanksgiving ceremony in honour of the aged in the Ojobi community, Mr. Armah cautioned younger people to desist from tagging the elderly as witches and rather show them love and support as they transition to the latter stages of life.

He called for the establishment of a special welfare system to prioritise the needs of all Ghanaian citizens who are above the age of seventy to ensure that their fundamental needs are promptly catered for to enable them live decent lives.

Mr. Armah also called on the government to focus on youth empowerment through skills training and job creation in deprived communities to curb rural-urban migration which has been identified as one of the major factors that leads to the neglect of the elderly.

He said, the Arya extended family will continue to support the aged through the provision of foodstuffs and health care services as part of its commitment to give back to the community.

This year's activities included a health screening exercise held in collaboration with the Winneba Municipal Hospital and the Otoo Memorial Hospital which attracted over 200 people.

The beneficiaries, including widows and persons with disabilities (PWDs), also received gift pack donations of assorted foodstuffs.

Isaac Hackman, a senior nursing officer at the Winneba Municipal Hospital, lauded the Arya Family for funding the health screening exercise and called for a stronger collaboration between the health sector and benevolent organisations to improve access to health care services in rural communities.