Journalist in Bolga feeds 150 vulnerable people as part of COVID-19 fight

A Bolgatanga based journalist, Ngamegbulam Stephen Chidozie has fed 150 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and mentally challenged persons in the Upper East Region.

The gesture was part of his efforts to help combat the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the region. It was his personal initiative he described as “COVID-19 edition of love sharing ”to the vulnerable in the society."

Speaking to Graphic Online on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, Mr Ngamegbulam said he started his humanitarian initiative in the year 2018 as a result of his late father’s advice to him to always show love to the vulnerable, before he died.

According to the Journalist, his first initiative was the construction of two stairways at the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs to enable PWDs in the region gain easy access to the conference hall as well as the office of the President of the House of Chiefs during gatherings or visits.

In the wake of the COVID-19 this year, Mr. Ngamegbulam said he decided to touch the lives of the vulnerable across the length and breadth of the Upper East Region, particularly PWDs and persons with mental illness on the streets of Bolgatanga by way of feeding over 150 of them with well-prepared, delicious meal and soft drinks.

“It is actually a fatherly advice I would be glad to maintain. I can still reflect on how my dad cautioned me about this humanitarian gesture in one of my conversations with him before his demise, and I think it is indeed worth emulating”, he noted.

The Journalist further explained that he could remember his dad telling him not to wait till he has enough resources before giving to the less privileged in the society.

“So this time around I was wondering what conditions my brothers and sisters were going through, especially in this era of the deadly pandemic, because we are no longer in normal times.”

He said that he was happy to learn during the distribution of food items to the beneficiaries that no one thought of feeding them during this COVID-19 era and so he told himself “Glory be to God! So I am the first to care for their feeding during this Coronavirus era”.

Mr. Ngamegbulam said he observed that it is important to always show love and care to the vulnerable segment of the population “because no one knows tomorrow”.

He entreated people to disabuse their minds from never becoming disabled or mentally challenged.

The Journalist expressed regret that there was one of the beneficiaries he saw during the food distribution who used to ride motorbike to work but unfortunately today he is visually impaired “and I was shocked to see him in that condition".

Mr. Ngamegbulam said he intends to expand this gesture to the vulnerable in the future but called on other public spirited individuals and organizations to partner him to resolve issues of the vulnerable because currently he is handicapped.