BY VALENTIA TETTEH
Efforts to strengthen rehabilitation and promote inclusion for persons with disabilities have received a major boost as the Ambassador of the State of Israel to Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, H.E. Roey Gilad, paid a working visit to the Member of Parliament for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, at his residence in Winneba.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Office of the Effutu MP in collaboration with the Embassy of Israel in Ghana, Engineers Without Borders–Israel, and CBR-Ghana, seeks to improve rehabilitation services and create sustainable community-based support systems for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).
As part of the visit, the delegation toured Don Bosco Primary School and Father John Memorial School to observe and support children with disabilities while engaging teachers and community members to understand their needs and challenges.
Addressing the delegation, Mr. Afenyo-Markin said it was an honor to receive the Israeli Ambassador in Winneba and expressed his long-standing passion for transforming lives through service.
“It is my singular and distinct honor to receive you in my home and to share with you some great moments. I’ve been a Member of Parliament for this constituency. This is my fourth term. I started my life as a volunteer in this community, combining that with my own private enterprise, and at a very young age, the community found me worthy of representing them in Parliament,” he said.
He added that his leadership is driven by a deep conviction to uplift the vulnerable and ensure inclusive development.
“It’s always been a burden on my heart to transform the community. Obviously, if you have studied abroad, or you’ve traveled and you’ve seen how people have developed their community, and you become a political leader, you have no choice but to live up to that standard,” he stated.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin also acknowledged the importance of partnerships in development, noting that his collaboration with the Israeli government was inspired by a shared vision of compassion and service.
“Development does not come from one source. It’s collective, and therefore, my relationship with the Ambassador, where we discuss quite a number of developmental issues, is very important. When I received a call from Israel to introduce Engineers Without Borders, I was excited. The October visit was too long for me, as if October would never come. Then eventually, October came,” he said with a smile.
Touching on his faith and motivation for social work, the Effutu MP shared a biblical reflection on compassion and service:
“I don’t want to sound religious, but it is necessary. When you follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, a lot of his disciples were anxious that he had come to introduce a new religion to them, and they asked, ‘Master, what can we do to inherit the kingdom of God?’ He paused and said, ‘I was in prison, and you didn’t visit me. I was hungry, and you didn’t give me food.’ For me, that explanation defines what Christianity is — show love for the poor, the vulnerable, and those in difficulty. That is the essence of Christ’s teachings.”
For his part, Ambassador Roey Gilad praised the collaborative effort and expressed admiration for the warmth and dedication of the Effutu community.
“You have wonderful people in Ghana. I always say in this case, it’s not a monologue; there is a lot to learn from you,” he said. “Thank you very much for meeting me in sign language. I think there is a lot we can learn from your people. This time, there will not be an Israeli presence 24/7 on the ground, but much of the responsibility is being delegated to your own people, and I think it’s an exciting moment.”
The Israeli Ambassador also commended Mr. Afenyo-Markin for his leadership and the strong community spirit in Effutu.
“Alexander, as I told you, your community is blessed to have you as their representative in Parliament. I saw the admiration and how strong their faith is in you and the support you get from them. This is a dialogue. You are leaning on a very strong, passionate, warm community. They deserve you, you deserve them, and together we can build something significant for the rest of Ghana,” Ambassador Gilad said.
The Effutu–Israel partnership aims to deepen community-based rehabilitation and strengthen inclusion programs for children and families living with disabilities, reflecting a shared vision of compassion, empowerment, and sustainable development.
