All 23 banks and the ARB Apex Bank through their mother body, the Ghana Association of Banks (GAB) has responded positively to the initiative by The Volta Tidal Waves Relief Fund (VTWRF) by procuring and donating 3, 000. (three thousand) mattresses to tidal waves victims in communities along the Volta Region’s coast in Ketu South, Keta, and Anloga District who have been displaced by the recent natural disaster.
Making the donation on behalf of the Association on Sunday November 14, 2021 the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of the GAB, Mr. John Awuah expressed the Association’s commitment to the welfare of Ghanaians in times of need saying,”We have been deeply moved by the events in the catchment area and we want to help those who have been so affected and that the banks are behind the people of Anlo.”
He noted that the idea behind the donation was to offer an immediate help to the victims who have lost their livelihoods and properties. The Association is also assessing damage the school structure in the catchment area with a view to providing further relief assistance.
Mr. Awuah further indicated that banks have over the past demonstrated perpetual commitment to help Ghanaians in times of need underscoring their stronghold on community initiatives.
Citing the GH¢10 million COVID-19 Relief Fund launched by the Association at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, banks through GAB demonstrated good corporate citizenship and commitment by undertaking many initiatives to positively contribute towards emergency relief by donating cash, some food items and personal protective equipment (PPEs) to some healthcare institutions and to the vulnerable in the country to help ameliorate the burden and difficulties imposed by the advent of the virus.
An amount of USD$335,000 was donated to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Legon towards the procurement of test kits; GHS200,000 to the Community Water and Sanitation organization to help in their rural outreach aimed at getting the story of regular hand wash to our rural folks and for better access to water. GHS200,000 went to doctors in residence towards the procurement of PPEs. These are doctors and other health professionals in the front line in the fight against the virus.
The Association also donated GHS2 million to the private sector fund towards the construction of the Infectious Diseases Isolation and Treatment Center in Ga East in support of the construction of a hundred-bed facility within 6 weeks.
The GAB further donated in excess of 400 hand-wash basins (advanced form of the ‘veronica buckets’) to the Ghana Health Service to be deployed to all Regional and District Health facilities throughout the country and spent GHS300,000 towards the feeding of the needy during the partial lockdown.
Mr. Awuah also indicated that banks contributed equal amounts and through GAB, recently procured a number of bulletproof vests and ballistic helmets to augment the inventory of the Ghana Police Service. He therefore called on other corporate entities to support the tidal wave victims saying, “this is the time for action; reach into your pockets and support.”
Receiving the items on behalf of the victims, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister was grateful for the gesture and said such a wonderful collaboration between citizens and government was the way to go and hoped the Fund would become permanent for people to get quick response in times like these to alleviate their plight.
