The president, on Sunday March 29, inaugurated a Board of Trustees for the Fund at the Jubilee House in Accra.
Led by by former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, the Trustees also have Archbishop Justice Ofei Akrofi, Mr. Jude Kofi Bucknor, Gifty Afenyi-Dadzie, Mrs Elsie Addo-Awadzie, Dr. Ernest Ofori-Sarpong, Dr Tanko. Mr. Collins Asare will act as Secretary to the Board.
Due to the urgent nature of the Fund and its responsibilities, Parliament on Thursday April 02 approved the report of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee which recommended the passing of the COVID-19 National Trust Fund Bill, 2020 under a Certificate of Urgency.
The Bill was laid before Parliament on the night of Wednesday April 01, 2020 by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Honourable Gloria Afua Akuffo.
President Akufo -Addo donated his April, May and June salaries as seed money for the Fund, which was replicated by the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Responsibilities of the Trust Fund
During the inauguration of the Board of Trustees, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said since the outbreak of the virus in Ghana, organisations and individuals have made donations, with others wanting to find out how they can also contribute to the cause.
“I felt that the best way was to establish a public trust, so that the monies that come do not get intermingled with Government money and all of those problems. A public trust that is to be managed by an independent body of trustees, so that people will see that these monies are being properly accounted for and properly deployed,” he said.
The President added that the work of the Board will complement the efforts being made by the State in catering for the poor and vulnerable, stressing that “whatever money we raise, that is the target”.
The Act of Parliament that established the fund is “Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 National Trust Fund Act, 2020 (Act 1013)”.
The mandate of the fund, as stated in Act 1013, is to, among others, raise money to complement the efforts of the government to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and also to design a programme for helping the vulnerable and the needy with the amount of money realised.
Disbursement of the Fund
Chairperson of the Fund, Madam Sophia Akuffo disclosed that the disbursement of the fund will commence this week.
“We will be very active to start distribution and so on and so forth. We know that each contribution we have received is going to help in combating the disease because we will be strengthening and supporting those involved in the combat activities as well as to help to alleviate the plight of the needy", she said.
And true to her words, the Fund, on Wednesday April 22, distributed toiletries, PPE and other essential medical items to the Ghana Health Service, COVID-19 Care Team and some selected health institutions.
Among the selected health institutions include the Christian Health Association of Ghana, Ahmadiyya Health Service, Private Medical & Dental Practitioners, Prisons Health Service, and Public-Private Partnership Clinic.
The Chairperson of the National COVID-19 Fund, former Cheif Justice, Justice Sophia Akuffo reiterated their commitment to effectively implementing their mandate.
On the sidelines of the donation, the managers of the National COVID-19 Fund said it has so far accrued GH¢34 million in cash donations.