Coronavirus: Use funds prudently - Akufo-Addo to Trust Fund Board

President Akufo-Addo has charged the board of trustees of the Coronavirus National Trust Fund to spend all monies that would be realised through the fund judiciously.

The President gave the admonishing to the trustees after he administered the oaths of office, allegiance and secrecy to them at a brief ceremony at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, April 8, 2020.

“You have been chosen to be at the frontline of mobilising whatever funds that are available within the population to assist in the fight. This fight is one for all of us and, therefore, it requires a maximum focus and concentration on our part.

“It will be a big burden for you the days to come, but I am sure that you will be up to it,” President Akufo-Addo said.

Chair of Board of Trustees

Retired Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, in her response as Chairperson of the board of trustees on behalf of her co-trustees indicated that the work they are going to be doing is novel but they are committed to it and will ensure that the true and proper intended beneficiaries of the fund are those that will enjoy it.

“On behalf of my colleagues, I deeply thank the President and I assure him we are going to perform excellently”, Justice Sophia Akuffo said.

The Trustees

Apart from Justice Sophia Akuffo, the rest of the eight-member board of trustees are Archbishop Bishop Justice Akrofi, Mr Jude Kofi Bucknor, Mrs Gifty Afenyi-Dadzie, Mrs Elsie Addo Awazi, Dr Ernest Ofori Sarpong, Dr Abdul Sameed Tanko and Dr Collins Asare, who will also double as the secretary to the board.

Act 1013

The full name of 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.