Ellen shares Christmas gifts

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has begun distribution of Christmas gifts hereto less fortunate people through the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs, beginning with handicaps, amputees and TB patients in Monrovia.

At the start of the exercise on Monday, 21 December, the Coordinator of the President’s Office Mr. Toe Wesseh, told reporters that over 500 bags of rice and 100 cartoons of fish were loaded in trucks for orphans, less fortunate people, and visually impaired (the blind) as well as the deaf and dumb.

He says gifts will be distributed at the leprosy home in Gbarnga, Bong County and hospitals in Bomi, C. H. Rennie Hospital in Margibi and an orphanage home in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, respectively, among others.

During interaction with handicaps and amputees outside the Stella Maris Polytechnic near President Sirleaf’s temporary office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Monrovia, Mr. Wessehtold the physically challenged he has been sent by the President to deliver her festive season gifts and assured that the exercise will continue up to the end of her tenure in 2018.

At the TB Annex in Congo Town, he urged the nurses to take care of the patients and enjoy their Christmas. Also speaking, the Assistant Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Mohammed Konneh, urged the amputees to stay out of trouble, and go home to enjoy the Christmas season.

Accepting the gifts, the Liberia Amputee Football Federation Interim President, Fred D. Tarweh, expressed gratitude to President Sirleaf for the donation and wished her more blessings as long as she stays in power.

Mr. Tarweh says his players are national team players with responsibilities but not those that go around causing trouble, saying “I put my neck on chopping board for them.”

For her part, the Administrator for the TB Annex, Madam Lucelia Michael Konwloh, said President Sirleaf has always identified with TB patients during Christmas, New Year and Independence Day celebrations, noting this was not the first time.

By Winston W. Parley-Edited by Jonathan Browne