MTN Cultural-Fest storms Tamale with Savanna-Fest

Ghana's leading Telecommunication Network, MTN has for the third time lightened up the Northern region with the annual MTN Savanna-Fest 2014.

The 2014 edition of the festival, which took place at the Tamale Jubilee Park, saw an incredible increased patronage in their special Health Walk, dubbed MTN WALKA-THON. There was free hepatitis B screening and vaccination after the Walka-thon.

Hundreds of enthusiastic health minded adults and the youth took part in the walka-thon, supported by brazz band music, whilst several others rushed to the Tamale Jubilee Park for the health screening and vaccination.

The festival which was executed by Sunyani based Suncity Radio, attracted over fifty keep fit clubs in and around Tamale, bankers, government organisations, private entities, the religious community and the media.

Speaking to a cross section of the media on his impression about the festival, former prolific striker of Kumasi Asante Kotoko, Shilla Alhassan, noted that the health was going to improve the health status of the people and urged the organizers of the festival to regularize the exercise. He stated that he has participated in all the three editions and promised to be back next year because it's always refreshing to meet old friends, whilst making new ones.

He also commended the people of Tamale for patronizing the event in their numbers and appealed to MTN to invest more in the health of the people.

A representative of the Okyeame Kwame Hepatitis B Foundation, Joshua Tetteh Akwada, told the media that Okyeame Kwame set up the foundation five years ago after realizing that very little was being done about the disease. He noted that the foundation has over the years screened thousands of people and has this year added vaccination.

So far the Hepatitis B vaccination has been done in James Town, Sunyani and Tamale. He added that the second shot of the vaccination would be carried out in December.

Some participants at the festival who spoke to the media expressed satisfaction and asked for more of such activities to keep them in good health.

Mahama Alhassan, a 45 year old civil servant, was particularly happy that MTN this year decided to add the hepatitis B screening and vaccination to the list of activities. He believes the move would go a long way to keep the people healthy.

Dorcas Ntoa, who just relocated to Tamale from the Brong-Ahafo region commended Suncity radio for partnering MTN for the festival. She was glad the Sunyani based radio station is improving lives of people not only its catchment areas but across the country.

An official of MTN Salormey Darko Bruku (Mrs) said the festival was a way of giving back to the society for keeping with the MTN brand over the years. She pointed out that, the festival has come to stay and year after year patrons would experience improvements.

The next stop of MTN Savanna-fest is Wa in the Upper West Region on Saturday 22nd November.