A team of private sector players launched ‘The Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund’ – a GHC100m innovative fund. This Fund is to complement the Government of Ghana’s (GoG) efforts to fight the rapid spread of the COVID-19 in the country.
The Fund, will be used to resource health facilities with supplies and equipment and promote desired citizenry behaviours required to overcome the spread of the virus.
Raise a Minimum of GHC100m
At the launch, the Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Fund and Fidelity Bank’s Chairman, Mr Edward Effah, said “The purpose of the Fund is to raise a minimum of GHC100million. We will approach selected individuals and corporates to compliment the Fund Trustees to support the government’s fight against COVID-19. Seed money of 1million Cedis has already been raised by the ten trustees to support the Fund.”
“We are counting on the public to contribute towards the Fund since we have put in place adequate measures to ensure maximum transparency and accountability. We have therefore appointed Stanlib Ghana Ltd as the Fund administrator, responsible for administering the Fund. Fidelity Bank will serve as the Fund custodian and Ernst & Young as the Fund auditors,” he disclosed.
Mr Effah added that “for complete transparency, all donations and disbursements will be published on the Fund’s website unless the donor requests anonymity.”
Love in the Midst of Pandemic
Mr. Alexander K Abban, Deputy Minister of Health (MoH), commended the private businesses for such an exceptional show of love even though the outbreak of the virus is negatively affecting their businesses. “This fund will help with protective gears and equipment to boost the confidence of the frontline health workers in the discharge of their duties”, he added.
He further indicated the Ministry has pledged to be a technical partner to the fund.
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The Deputy Finance Minister, Charles Adu Boahen, delivered the keynote address. He said, “the initiative by the private sector will be supported by the Government to win the fight against coronavirus.” To demonstrate his support of this initiative he generously donated three-months of his salary to the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund. He then tasked the managers of the Fund to effectively coordinate and prudently allocate the resources to meet the expectations of the donors.
What Can We Do to Help?
On his part, Chairman of Tropical Cable and Conductor Ltd and co-chair of the Board of Trustee, said, “in the midst of such a major tragedy, we should all ask ourselves what we can do to help,” adding that, “every single money collected is going to the primary purpose of supporting to fight the virus.”
Mr. Alex Asideu of Stanlib Ghana Limited, the Fund Managers, disclosed that the COVID funds will be well managed and deployed in a transparent way in collaboration with the Technical Committee of the fund.
The trustees of the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund are Mr Anthony Oteng-Gyasi (Chairman – Tropical Cable & Conductor), Edward Effah, (Chairman – Fidelity Bank Ghana Ltd), Mr Kwaku Bediako (Director – CH Group), Mr John Taylor (CEO – Woodfield Energy Resources Ltd), Mr Omane Frimpong (Chairman – Wilkins Engineering Ltd), Mr Kwame Ofosu Bamfo (MD – Bamson Group), Mr Kwabena Adjei (Group Chairman – Kasapreko), Mr Thomas Svanikier (Chairman – Svani Group), Mr Kwasi Twum (CEO – Multimedia Group) and Mr Senyo Kwasi Hosi (CEO – Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors).
The general public can contribute to the fund through the following payment channels: USSD short code *777#100#, www.ghanacovid19fund.com and Bank Transfer 1300033187312 Fidelity Bank, Ridge Towers.