The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is saddened by the tragic incident at the crusade ground on the D. Twe Football Field last week Wednesday in New Kru Town, a suburb of Monrovia which reportedly claimed the lives of at least 29 persons, including 11 children.
The national disaster occurred as a result of a stampede during a church service crusade on Wednesday, January 19, 2022.
The Ministry says its thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families and friends of the deceased as well as those nursing injuries.
According to the Ministry of Gender, upon receiving this sad news, it immediately dispatched a team of social workers led by Assistant Minister of Children and Social Protection on the site to aid those in distress, adding that currently, the team is documenting survivors – especially children without visible parental attachments.
Additionally, Gender, Children and Social Protection Minister Williametta E. Saydee-Tarr has mandated psychosocial counselors to immediately begin the process of conducting psychosocial counseling to assist the bereaved families in handling the traumatic stress associated with such difficult moments.
It welcomes call by President George Manneh Weah for the Liberia National Police to conduct a full-scale investigation, adding that it is hopeful that at the end of the investigation – stringent measures aimed at protecting public gatherings especially women and children who are usually the most affected, will be enforced. Editing by Jonathan Browne
