We can't keep driving luxury cars while widows continue to suffer - McDan

The Chief Executive Officer of McDan Group, Dr Daniel McKorley has urged philanthropists, non-governmental organizations, and corporate institutions to expand their social responsibility initiatives to support widows across the country.

Dr McKorley emphasized that individuals who are privileged have a duty to assist the less fortunate, especially given the current economic challenges. 

He pointed out that it is futile to drive luxury cars while widows continue to suffer in communities nationwide.

He made these comments in an interview with the Daily Graphic during the 2025 McDan Foundation Widows Support Project, the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme of the McDan Group, which took place at Mantse Agbonaa in James Town, Accra, on Sunday, March 9, 2025.

"I challenge those who want to help widows to come forward and offer their support," he said. "I also hope other NGOs will join in to assist those in need, as they truly deserve our help."

"We can't keep driving our luxury cars while our mothers and sisters are suffering in our communities. It just doesn't make sense. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to reach this point in life have a responsibility to support the less privileged so that God will continue to bless us," Dr. McKorley said.

He added, "While I am excited about this project, it also makes me sad. When you look around and see how many people are struggling in this country, it's heartbreaking. Everyone needs help, and in truth, we all need help," he stressed.

Touching lives

Mr McKorley expressed his joy at being able to bring together thousands of widows to celebrate International Women's Day while bringing smiles to their faces.

He emphasized that the McDan Foundation considers it essential to support widows in order to alleviate poverty and end their suffering across the nation.

Related Article: Over 6000 widows benefit from McDan Foundation's donation, health screening

"I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to support my mothers, aunties and sisters here in Accra during this celebration. I was born and raised here, and these people know me as one of their own, so it’s my duty to bring this humanitarian project to James Town." 

"I’m equally excited about the health screening taking place today. They are being screened for various conditions, given medication and we will follow up with financial support for those with serious health issues," he said.

"The McDan Foundation has been supporting widows since its inception, and we will continue to do so. We've reached several regions, but today, we've chosen to bring our efforts to James Town. Widows are often overlooked in society, but for me, every widow in Ghana is like a sister, so I’m truly grateful to be here celebrating this day with them," Mr McKorley added.

He concluded by revealing that the next project will be held in the Ashanti, Northern, Volta and Wetern regions.

The Widow's Project

Over 6,000 widows from 15 communities in the Greater Accra Region received both health and economic support at the 2025 McDan Foundation Widows Support Project organized in partnership with RIDNE Food Consortium, a Ukrainian food and agriculture company, for this year’s event.

The McDan Foundation hosts this annual event in celebration of International Women's Day and to provide economic relief to widows across the country.

Starting at 8 am, the enthusiastic crowd, including some of who have been widows for more that two decades, gathered from communities such as Atukpai, Chorkor, Lante Maamli, Swalaba, Mantse Agbonaa, Mamprobi, Korle Gonnor, Bukom, Sempe, Akoto Lante, Faase, Osu, Teshie, and La to take part in the event.

Items worth millions of Ghana cedis were presented to the beneficiaries, including 5kg bags of rice each, assorted soft drinks, packs of biscuits, and packs of salt from the Ada Songor Salt Project by Electrochem Ghana Limited.

Additionally, special boxes of items, packaged by RIDNE Food Consortium, were distributed to the widows. These boxes contained wheat flour, canned turkey meat, canned sardines, pasta, dry peas, cookies, sunflower oil, rice cakes, and condensed canned milk.

Health screening

The event also featured a health screening exercise, where over 2,000 women, men, and children with various health conditions were screened.

The McDan Foundation collaborated with the VIVA Health Foundation, a team of doctors and nurses, to carry out the screenings for the large crowd that gathered at the venue.

Sheba Fiadzumor, an Emergency Physician at the 37 Military Hospital and a member of the VIVA Health Foundation, shared with the Daily Graphic that her team had conducted eye screenings, Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) checks, dental care, diet consultations and screenings for other health issues.

Dignitaries

The well-attended event attracted dignitaries from various fields including Chief Executive Officer of the McDan Group of Companies, Dr Daniel McKorley and his wife, Mrs Abigail McKorley together with their children and other family members.

Also in Attendance were the CEO of the RIDNE Food Consortium, Oleksii Khvorostianyi and his deputy, Sergii  Kovalchuk together with representatives from the Ukranian Embassy in Accra.

The rest were Sempe Mantse, Nii Adotey Otintor II, Ga Noryaa Manye, Naa Ahemah Okropong, Mamprobi Manye, Naa Adukwei Suomor, Abola Manye, Naa Okaitsoo IV, Sempe Shipi, Nii Adotey Dzata I, Former Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashitey,  Former Mayor of Accra, Alfred Okoe Vanderpuye, Former Member of Parliment for Manhyia South Collins Amankwah and Marketing Manager of Graphic Communications Group Ltd, Franklin Sowah.

Appreciation

A widow from Chorkor, Mary Oforiquaye, was moved to tears as she shared the daily struggles of raising her four children after the death of her husband 12 years ago.

"May the Spirit of God bless McDan every day of his life. This man is a treasure to widows, and I pray that God's blessings be abundant in his life," she said tearfully.

Sophia Okaitsoo Attoh from Atukpai, who lost her husband eight years ago, also expressed her gratitude: "I commit McDan into the hands of the Most High God. May God strengthen him and provide all his needs so that he can continue supporting us."

Sharon Bortey Clottey, 38, from Atukpai, who lost her husband in 2021, shared that she was moved to tears when Dr Daniel McKorley arrived to greet them before the distribution of items.

"If every business owner in Ghana supported widows the way this man is doing, we wouldn’t be as miserable as we are. We wouldn't feel the pain of losing our husbands or struggle to care for our children. May God bless him beyond measure, and I pray others follow in his footsteps," she said.