Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has built, furnished and formally handed over a two-bedroom house to an 82-year-old cured leper who had been abandoned by her family at Motori in the Wa West District in the Upper West Region.
In yet another example of his love for humanity, Dr Bawumia’s humanitarian gesture was inspired by a Joy News documentary, which depicted the sorry plight of Daari Pogo, who was forced to live in a dilapidated 5metres by 6 metres mud hut with her granddaughter Adjara after her abandonment.
Touched by her appalling circumstances, Dr Bawumia immediately mobilised resources and within six weeks, built and furnished the two-bedroom house for madam Pogo.
At a brief ceremony to formally hand over the building yesterday, Vice President Bawumia said the smiles on the faces of Daari Pogo and her granddaughter Adjara were enough to gladden anyone’s heart.
“Today is a happy day, not just for me, but more especially my mother here Daari Pogo and our child Adjara. I am so, so happy.
“As you know, I am a Patron of the Lepers Aid Society, which helps to rehabilitate cured lepers. When I saw the Joy News report by Seth Kwame Boateng I was deeply touched, and immediately reached out to help.
“It appears as if she has been abandoned by her family due to her unfortunate affliction. But that is not how we should treat each other; we should be each other’s keeper.
“Today I am here to formally hand over this house to madam Pogo, and assure her that we will continue to make sure she is well looked after. That is how we should treat each other. No one should be forced to live the way she was living.”
Vice President Bawumia urged society to welcome and integrate cured lepers into their midst, as they no longer carried the disease.
“We should not shun cured lepers. Science has clearly shown that they cannot pass the disease on. Let us welcome them, make them part of our everyday lives and more importantly, show them love after contracting a disease through no fault of theirs.”
