Akufo-Addo ignores pressure from NPP group, confirms Abeiku Santana, others as coronavirus ambassadors

The Akufo-Addo administration has ignored pressure from NPP footsoldiers and confirmed Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey, known popularly in showbiz as Abeiku Santana, and other celebrities as Ambassadors for the COVID-19 National Trust Fund.

They are tasked to assist the Board of Trustees in creating awareness about COVID-19 protocols and raising funds to support infected and affected persons during the current pandemic.

The celebrities include UTV’s “United Showbiz’’ Host Nana Ama Mcbrown, TV news presenter Israel Laryea, Actress Emelia Brobbey and Music legend Reggie Rockstone.

A group calling itself the Alliance for Footsoldiers Advocacy (AFFA) is demanding the immediate revocation of the appointment of the popular radio show host Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey, also known as Abeiku Santana, as an Ambassador of the Covid-19 National Trust Fund.

According to AFFA, a letter dated March 23, 2021, has been in circulation on social media, announcing the appointment of the Okay FM presenter as an Ambassador for the Fund.

“While we acknowledge the urgent need for the government to tap into the competence and experience of knowledgeable people in the Creative Arts sector to complement its efforts in combating the deadly pandemic, it is equally important for the appointing authority to be wary of dubious and selfish characters gallivanting the corridors of power,” AFFA said in a press release on Saturday, March 27.

“If the Board is apolitical as has been bandied about, then what is the legitimate basis of Abeiku Santana, a known NDC member’s appointment?”

The group claims Abeiku Santana attempted the National Democratic Congress (NDC) primary for the Mfantseman Constituency in 2016 and has been a known activist of the opposition party.

In a Joy News report sighted by GhanaWeb, the Ambassadors are tasked to “participate in public events of the Trust Fund including fundraising and resource mobilization activities, sensitization campaigns, community [engagement], advertisements and promotional programmes”.

The report added that the Ambassadors’ work is ‘voluntary’ and ‘non-political or partisan’.

The Covid-19 National Trust Fund was established by an Act of Parliament under the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) National Trust Fund Act, 2020 (Act 1013).