Ghanaians Support Haitians

A CHEQUE of $3,000,000 presented in support of the people of Haiti by the government of Ghana was officially launched at the Ministry of Information during a press conference in Accra yesterday. The launching of the $3,000,000 cheque was in fulfilment of President John Atta Mills' pledge in a letter to his Haitian counterpart, Rene Preval, that the government and people of Ghana would in due course make their modest contribution to the devastated country. The government of Ghana recently declared that the country found it necessary to support the Haitians with a $3,000,000 donation following the January 12 earthquake that rocked the country. Presenting the cheque, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Mohammed Mumuni, urged Ghanaians not to play politics with the efforts by the government to support Haitians, but rather come out in their numbers and also assist the people. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Deputy Minister for Information, on his part told the media that the $3,000,000 should not been seen as anything huge, as Ghanaians might also one day need support from other countries. He said the government of Ghana is therefore partnering with World Vision Ghana to raise enough funds in support of Haitians, aside the $3,000,000, as Ghanaians continue to express heartfelt condolences and sympathy for the incalculable losses suffered. The Minister of Information stressed that individuals and corporate bodies desirous of assisting the people of Haiti could contact the local office of World Vision International, which is engaged in an international relief effort for Haiti. Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa advised interested individuals to contact the World Vision office if they had any doubts about an institution or organisation soliciting for funds on behalf of the people of Haiti. World Vision, a Christian relief, development and advocacy organisation dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice, has pledged to ensure that each and every Ghanaian prepared to support Haitians, either in cash or kind, gets easy access to do so. In a related development, Kennedy Agyepong, the Member of Parliament for Assin North who was also present during the press conference, personally donated a cheque of $10,000 to support the government in his efforts to raise more funds for Haitians. Presenting the cheque, he told the media that a time had come for Ghanaians to also try to support others who are in need rather than always finding ways to receive donations from foreigners. Officials of Ghana Commercial Bank and the Zenith Bank were also in attendance and presented their cheques to the officials of World Vision Ghana in support of Haiti.