Help in sight for 70-year-old homeless woman

A number of individuals and corporate entities have started responding to an appeal launched by the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) to support the 70-year-old homeless woman.

The public show of solidarity followed an appeal launched by the Daily Graphic yesterday, calling for support for the woman who was rendered homeless after her house was sold to defray a loan for which her house was used as collateral.

Background

Mrs Margaret Mensah, a retiree, had allowed her house, located at Mataheko in Accra, to be used as a collateral for the loan, which a friend of her son secured from a financial institution some years ago.  However, due to the inability of the borrower, the Managing Director of Farmers Alliance Company Limited, Mr David Siale, to pay for the loan, the house was sold to settle his indebtedness. 

Mr Siale was introduced to the woman by her son, Ibrahim Laryea Conney, who died during the litigation over the sale of the house. Mrs Mensah disclosed that she agreed to allow her house to be used as the collateral by Mr Siale because she trusted him.

Following her ejection, Mrs Mensah had been compelled to beg people for a place to lay her head, while she awaits help from benefactors to find a permanent abode.

Old man weeps

In an interview, an old man who preferred to remain anonymous, said he was filled with mixed feelings after reading the story in the early hours of yesterday and described the issue as “overwhelming and sorrowful”.

According to him, the publication had struck the country like a thunderbolt, and he made references to the manner in which the issue was making rounds in the social media.

“I have been weeping since I read the story this morning. I am an old, ailing man who has been a trusted customer of the paper for many years. I must say that this is the most touching story I have ever seen the Daily Graphic publish since I started patronising it. The news is heartbreaking, especially to those of us who are so concerned about matters of this sort,” he said, amid tears.

Gaining control over his emotions, he called on all Ghanaians to contribute their quota by donating monies to help raise funds to put up a new structure for the woman and her family.

Financial services pledge support

The management of a financial institution in the country has pledged its intention to donate some money to help relieve the plight of Mrs Mensah. Other financial services which chose to remain anonymous have also promised to lend a helping hand to this noble cause.

Source to credible information

Another concerned reader, Mr John Alhassan, also phoned to thank the paper for the reportage and pledged his support to assist it with information on Farmers Alliance Company Limited.

Other benevolent organisations and individuals have also pledged to donate in cash and kind to help alleviate the woman’s plight.