NYOHINI CHILDREN'S HOME NOT NEGLECTED...Father Balemans (PAGE 29)

A Philanthropist, Father Martin Balemans of the Catholic Church, has described claims by the supervisor of the Nyohini Children’s Home in Tamale, Ms Janet Qauinoo, that the facility is lacking in many areas as most unfortunate.
He also pointed out a number of inaccuracies contained in the story carried on the July 31, 2009 issue of the Daily Graphic with the headline “Visiting students renovate facilities at Children’s Home.”
In a statement reacting to the said story, Father Balemans indicated that “the many inaccuracies disturb me and disgrace the Ghana government and the Department of Social Welfare”.
He alleged that he had personally visited the home regularly for the past 10 years and had also offered numerous assistance for its proper upkeep, adding that many other individuals and organisations had equally paid similar visits and offered enormous material and financial assistance to the Home.
He enumerated a number of projects he had undertaken for the home to include laying of new tiles for the floor of the main corridor and other rooms, installation of water boiler, washing machine and dryer in the shower room.
The philanthropist added that he had also constructed toilets for toddlers and renovated other places of convenience. He mentioned other facilities to include the laying of new water pipes to ensure regular flow of water and a number of water reservoirs.
Father Balemans further indicated that some other individuals and organisations had also painted the walls, constructed a playing ground and continue to donate large quantities of assorted items, food and cash to the management of the Home.
He said even though he travelled briefly outside the country, “On my return, I went to see the home and found out that the food was good, the bedding was in order and mosquito nets were supplied to all the beds and the children looked well nourished.”
The philanthropist, therefore, observed that Ms Quainoo’s assertion that the home had no means of transport, and that many of the children lost their lives as a result of their inability to transport them to the hospital was rather far-fetched.
“Whenever I heard that a child at the home was admitted to the hospital, I went to visit the sick child and never had I ever heard that a child had died because of a lack of transport,” he stated.
On the security fence, Father Balemans said it was currently under construction, and that work on it was about 60 per cent complete and, therefore, wondered why the supervisor still mentioned it as if nothing was being done about it.
The philanthropist further alleged that some years ago when a good Samaritan donated GH¢30,000.00, “I was told in the presence of Ms Quainoo that it was put in the bank to generate funds for the Home.”
He, therefore, wondered the whereabouts of the funds, including the numerous cash donations to the home as more people and organisations continued to present assorted food and other valuable items to the home.