Pic:Kayayei Presenting An Artwork of Appreciation to the first Lady.
Ghana’s First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo Addo, has appealed to
Ghanaians to show compassion and love to women and girls working as head
porters (Kayayei).
She noted that extending love and care to the head porters is in
line with the religious teachings of the dominate faiths being practised in the
country, such as Christianity and Islam.
Mrs. Akufo Addo made the appeal in Accra, when officials of the
Kunata Voluntary Organisation paid a
courtesy call on her. She made a donation
to the non-governmental organization which provides care and support to
head porters in Accra Tema, and Kumasi
"The kayayeis are as human as any other person and the love
and compassion that we show to our families and friends should also be shown to
the girls since they are our sisters and children" she said.
She said Ghanaians are known outside the country as hospitable
and caring and it is important that these positive attitudes are not only
directed at foreigners but fellow Ghanaians as well, such as head porters.
Mrs. Akufo Addo pleaded with the well-to-do in the country to
fund the education of at least one head porter of school going age to give them
a better and brighter future that will make the girls better citizens.
"Education is the only means by which we can empower the
hard working girls to make them productive to their families and the country as
a whole" she added.
She also pleaded with market women to consider generously
donating baby diapers to kayayei nursing mothers to reduce the financial burden
on these mothers, some of whom are single handedly faring for their children.
On ensuring the safety and security of the head porters, she
advocated for the setting up of a national taskforce to provide protection to
kayayei who use the verandahs of shops in the major cities as shelter, where
they fall victims to unscrupulous men, who steal and rape the head porters.
"Providing security to head porters to make them feel safe
is as important as providing protection to any person in privileged position
since they are equal citizens with equal right" she said.
The event manager for the organization Nashiatu Bashiru ,
thanked Mrs. Rebecca Akufo Addo for her motherly gesture.
She appealed to other Ghanaian women and men to join the efforts
to show compassion to the head porters, especially the young women and girls
amongst them who could be resettled to pursue education or vocational skills
training to make them self-sufficient in their life.
