The Manya Krobo Traditional Council has launched a COVID-19 Emergency Fund, in collaboration with the Upper Manya and Lower Manya Krobo District and Municipal assemblies in the Eastern Region to help the health directorates in the traditional area combat the coronavirus pandemic.
The occasion was also used to inaugurate a 12-member Manya Krobo COVID-19 Emergency Fund Committee under the chairmanship of the Development Chief of the traditional area, Nene Kwesi Detse.
The committee will, among other things, focus on three core areas namely health and medical support, community and social welfare and security.
The Health Directors in the traditional area, Mrs Esther Duah Oyinka for Upper Manya Krobo and Mr Bismark Sarkordie for Lower Manya Krobo, used the launch to update the Manya Krobo Traditional Council and its two assemblies on the COVID-19 situation in the area and measures being taken to avoid its spread.
Launch
The Konor of the traditional area (Paramount chief), Nene Sakite II, who launched the fund and also inaugurated the committee, urged the people of Manya Krobo to be extremely diligent in performing their part as citizens.
He especially told those in densely populated areas to break the chain of COVID-19 infection, adding: “We must put aside rivalries, petty grievances and pestering and unite to fight the virus in our midst.”
The Konor stated that the fund would support the four hospitals in the Manya Krobo area: namely the Asesewa, Atua and Akuse Government hospitals, as well as the Agomanya St Martin de Porres Hospital with the needed medical equipment to fight the virus.
He said the two assemblies and their social welfare officers would also help identify core needs of the elderly, sick, disabled and vulnerable in the various service areas within the COVID-19 period so as to extend a helping hand to such people.
Important issues
Nene Sakite said he would ensure that the administration of the fund was transparent, coordinated and well managed, and that the distribution of items/resources would be even, adding that he would give the people of Manya Krobo an update every two weeks for them to know how the funds and resources had been obtained and disbursed.
He announced a cheque for GH¢50,000 on behalf of the traditional council as seed money, out of which a GH¢22, 000 cheque was presented at the function.
The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Nuertey Ayertey, also presented a GH¢5,000 cheque on behalf of the Railway Ministry to support the fund. A businessman, Mr Patey Samadji, from Odumase Krobo also presented cash of GH¢500 as his contribution.
Success
The Konor said the success of the initiative would depend on all citizens of the area and appealed to them, as well as well-wishers to donate to the fund through mobile money or the Manya Krobo Rural Bank with the account number 266112000615791.
“I would like to stress to all Krobos that the recent lifting of the partial lockdown in Greater Kumasi and Greater Accra does not mean that we should relax our vigilance or our preventive practices and be complacent, relax our efforts and be overconfident,” the Konor said.
The two chief executives, Messrs Felix Natey Odjao and Simon Kweku Tetteh, lauded the Konor’s initiative and pledged their unflinching support in whatever way possible to help combat the pandemic in the traditional area.
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