Parliament donates GH₵200k to covid-19 Fund as Speaker offers half of his three month salary
Parliament has contributed GH₵200,000 to the national COVID-19 Trust Fund.
The Speaker of the Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has also donated half of his three months’ salary to the fund.
The National Trust Fund was established by President Akufo-Addo on March 27, 2020 to receive donations for disbursement to individuals who will negatively be impacted by the novel coronavirus outbreak in Ghana.
Prof. Mike Oquaye, after the passage of the COVID-19 National Trust Fund 2020 bill under a certificate of urgency on Thursday, urged all Members of Parliament and other workers to contribute to the fund.
The bill is to complement the efforts of the government in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The passage of the bill came after the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Ms Gloria Akuffo, had moved the motion for it to be read for the third time, and it was seconded by the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu.
Covid-19 Trust Fund
The trust fund, is headed by former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, and is expected to receive public contributions to help improve the lives of the vulnerable who will be worst-hit by the pandemic.
The other members of the Board of trustees of the Fund are Archbishop Justice Ofei Akrofi, Jude Kofi Bucknor, Gifty Afenyi-Dadzie, Elsie Addo-Awadzie, Dr. Ernest Ofori-Sarpong, and Dr Tanko Collins Asare, who will act as Secretary to the Board.
Contributions made so far
Already, President Akufo -Addo has donated his April, May and June salaries as seed money for the Fund.
Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia continued in Akufo-Addo’s steps and also donated three months’ salary to the Trust Fund.
Akufo-Addo donates three months’ salary to coronavirus fight
All Ministers of State and other top appointees at the presidency voluntarily decided to donate 50% of their salary for the next three months to the recently initiated COVID-19 Fund.
Ministers, deputy ministers, donate 50% of salaries into Covid-19 fund
Institutions that have donated to the Fund so far include Hollard Ghana donating GH₵100,000, Absa Bank Ghana with GH₵1 million, Interplast with GH₵1.2 million, Justmoh Construction Limited contributing GH₵500,000, Karpowership Ghana donated GH₵300,000 and Rocksure International also presented GH₵50,000.
Most churches in Ghana has followed suit, with the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) and Methodist Church of Ghana both donating GH₵100,000 to the fund.
Methodist Church donates GHC100,000 towards coronavirus fight
The Lebanese community in Ghana has also presented a cheque of 2,150,000.00.
A five member delegation led by the Ambassador of Lebanon to Ghana, Ambassador Maher El Heir, presented the cheque to the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Madam Akosua Frema Osei Opare, at a brief ceremony at the Jubilee House.
Ambassador Maher El Heir, in a brief statement, said their community has been extremely impressed by the level of commitment the government has demonstrated so far.
Good step. Just hoping that the needy as far as the fund is concern will be the beneficiary.