Dr. Victoria Norgbey, National President of the Apex Body of Women in Poultry Value Chain (WIPVaC), led a delegation to visit the egg sellers affected by the recent fire at the Kantamanto Market.
The delegation, which included Florence Doku-Greater Accra President and
Margaret Ofori -Treasurer, aimed to empathize with the egg sellers, encourage them, and provide support.
Dr. Norgbey explained that WIPVaC, which comprises aggregators, egg sellers, input dealers, poultry farmers, and others in the industry, had come together to support the egg sellers, who were part of their network.
We are here to encourage them, to empathize with them, and to let them know that we are with them in this difficult time,” Dr. Norgbey said. “We want to help them rebuild their structures and get back to business as soon as possible.”
The group presented a cash donation to help the egg sellers rebuild their structures. Dr. Norgbey noted that the egg sellers had taken loans and borrowed materials to restart their business, demonstrating their resilience and determination.
With the cash donation, the egg sellers will be able to set up shaded areas, safeguarding their eggs from excessive sun exposure.
We are impressed by their determination to get back to business, despite the challenges they are facing,” Dr. Norgbey said. “We want to support them in any way we can, and we hope that this donation will help them get back on their feet.”
Talking in turns, the leaders emphasized the crucial link between human health and animal health, particularly in the poultry industry. They stressed the importance of maintaining clean surroundings for poultry to prevent the spread of diseases that can affect consumers.
The advice was particularly relevant, considering the challenges faced by egg sellers in Ghana. For instance, poor transport and storage systems can lead to inconsistent egg supplies and reduce the shelf-life of table eggs.
The delegation also encouraged the egg sellers to maintain a clean environment, avoid leaving electrical appliances on, and arrange their belongings neatly to prevent future accidents. Dr. Norgbey acknowledged that the egg sellers had suffered significant losses, including cash saved to restock their shops.
We understand that they have lost a lot, not just in terms of property, but also in terms of cash,” Dr. Norgbey said. “We hope that our donation will help them recover some of their losses and get back to business as soon as possible.”
The egg sellers’ plight emotionally affected sellers in Tema, who acknowledged that the disaster could happen to anyone. They promised to support the affected sellers in any way possible, emphasizing the importance of rearranging their ways and doing the right things to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Madam Rebecca McCorley, President of the Kantamanto Egg Sellers Association, received the donation with gratitude, thanking the mother association for their support. However, she expressed concern that the association had yet to receive its share of donations intended for the Kantamanto fire victims.
Madam McCorley appealed to WIPaC to assist them in retrieving their rightful share of the donations, ensuring that the association receives the support it needs to recover from the devastating fire.
According to her, the egg sellers lost approximately 3,000 crates of eggs and huge sum of money to the fire.
The visit and donation demonstrated the solidarity and support of the WIPVaC, for the affected egg sellers, recognizing the importance of their business in providing healthy eggs for consumption. The delegation’s support and encouragement helped to boost the morale of the egg sellers, who were grateful for the assistance.
