Dams spillage: Philanthropist Seidu Agongo donates ₵400,000 to 1,158 vulnerable victims

Philanthropist Seidu Agongo has donated GHS200 each to some 1,158 widows, single mothers, people with disability and old folks who were among those hardest-hit in the flood disaster occasioned by the spillage of excess water from the Akosombo Dam.

The founder of the Class Media Group (CMG) had already, through one of the media giant’s units, Ho FM, in the Volta Region, donated some relief items to the affected communities.

However, he said he decided to subsequently single out the four categories of people, who are the most vulnerable, for a special treat, thus, his donation of cash to those 1,158 victims on Friday, 24 November 2023.

At the donation ceremony at Mepe in the Volta Region, Mr Agongo said: “Each person will receive a cash amount of GHS200 to use in cushioning him/herself against the unfortunate situation”.

The businessman, who said, “I am a product of difficulty, and with it came the lesson that the essence of our existence is not what we achieve ourselves, but how we help others achieve their goals”, told the gathering that: “As your brothers and sisters across the country, we deeply share in the pain and frustrations that these floods inflicted on you and your livelihoods”.

“While we have expressed it in our hearts and from afar, the warmth that comes with physical presence is comparable to none. With us, too, is the financial support, drawn from the purity of our hearts and our resolve to help our own brothers and sisters to shake off the burdens of the disaster and get back on their feet”, Mr Agongo said.

Read Alhaji Seidu Agongo’s full speech below:

A SPEECH DELIVERED BY ALHAJI SEIDU AGONGO, FOUNDER OF CLASS MEDIA GROUP (CMG) AT A SPECIAL EVENT TO SUPPORT THE AGED, WIDOWS, SINGLE MOTHERS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AFFECTED BY THE AKOSOMBO DAM SPILLAGE IN MEPE, VOLTA REGION, ON 24TH NOVEMBER, 2023.

Togbuiwo, Mamawo, Executives of the Mepe Development Association, Opinion Leaders present, Elders, the Media, my dear brothers and sisters.

Togbuiwo, after life comes challenges. Disasters – whether man-made, like the one that brought us here, or natural – is one of them. But with the strength of togetherness, as symbolised in the saying that ‘little drops of water make a mighty ocean,’ no disaster has ever won over humanity. It may rob us of loved ones, of our job and happiness, the tranquility of normalcy and the sweats of our life, but those are temporary. The power of family, friends and community always ensures that humanity overcomes these challenges for life to continue.

This is why my team and I are here today to provide monetary support to 1,158 aged, single mothers, widows and persons with disability. Each person will receive a cash amount of GHS200 to use in cushioning him/herself against the unfortunate situation. As your brothers and sisters across the country, we deeply share in the pain and frustrations that these floods inflicted on you and your livelihoods. While we have expressed it in our hearts and from afar, the warmth that comes with physical presence is comparable to none. With us too is the financial support, drawn from the purity of our hearts and our resolve to help our own brothers and sisters to shake off the burdens of the disaster and get back on their feet.

Togbuiwo, I am a product of difficulty, and with it came the lesson that the essence of our existence is not what we achieve ourselves, but how we help others achieve their goals. In my childhood when I roamed the streets of Burma Camp, mending people’s footwear in return for coins for a living, I experienced real benevolence from goodhearted people. Later when I graduated to a call center and personal lending operator in the camp, I saw and benefited from people’s kindness. In my later years at the Nima Market where I supplied tons of rice, cooking oil and sugar across Ghana, I again felt the humanity in our people. And now as the chief servant of multiple businesses and a man in the storm, I experienced firsthand the warmth of the Ghanaian kindness. It is these and my own personal principles that have made me devote a chunk of my life to philanthropy for the needy.

We are here though for something slightly different. When this disaster struck in September, Ho-FM, a member of the Class Media Group (CMG), with support from listeners and me, the Founder made donations in order to support the flood victims. Given the destruction, no amount of support is ever going to be enough, hence our decision to return, bearing of more support.

But unlike the previous one, this is targeted at the aged, single mothers, widows and those living with disabilities. This has become crucial because, even though majority of the citizens have been affected, these groups have been hard hit comparatively due to their special needs in these perilous times.

Togbuiwo, ladies and gentlemen, I am here today to give special support and hope back to 1,158 such persons. It is the dream of CMG and me, the Founder to always offer support and bring up the vulnerable in our society.

Our fingers are not equal but together, they protect the human body from danger. Similarly, our society can be better if we maximize our individual strengths to fight our common enemies of poverty, inequality and disasters. Like I always say, in 100 or 200 years to come, none of us may be in existence but the support and impact we make today will live forever. Ho FM and the CMG want to leave that lasting sweet memory in the hearts of you, our cherished listeners and brothers and sisters.

Togbuiwo, Mamawo and Executives of the Mepe Development Association, let me also appreciate the good work and the organizational skills of the leaders of the Mepe community over the past eight weeks.

Your hard work and dedication to ensure every citizen affected got a place to sleep and something to eat from the donations is highly commendable.

May Allah keep us away from similar disasters but if He wills that they may happen, may He, in His infinite mercies, grants us people of hearts to support and ease the burden.

May Allah be merciful to us all.

Akpe na mi!