The Executive Director of the Veterans Administration, Ghana (VAG), Col. Oscar Afefa Chris Nutakor (retd), has stated that the group will partner with private entities to initiate new development projects and complete existing ones.
According to him, some of the administration’s projects had come to a standstill because of lack of funds as well as administrative issues.
“With the inauguration of the board, we hope to get our capital projects on course. We would do this by partnering private organisations and individuals to support us financially,” he said.
At the unveiling of the new VAG cloth and flag in Accra, Col. Nutakor explained that VAG had property in all 10 regions and needed to be kept in good shape for the welfare of the veterans.
He stated that most of the private organisations usually supported activities which they would benefit from and even though VAG was a non-profit group, he was optimistic of a positive response through negotiations and dialogue.
Explaining further, he said, the projects included an events centre at Amasaman and a VAG complex in the Volta Region which comprised a restaurant, a bar and a conference hall.
He added that the Minister of Defence, Mr Benjamin Kunbour, would also cut the sod for the construction of the VAG Hospital at Amasaman which would cater for the health needs of veterans.
Mr Nutakor said it had become necessary to change the flag because the group’s name had changed from Veterans Association of Ghana (VAG) and the old flag was adopted from Burma and it no more had any significance.
“The flag has been changed; even Burma does not use it any longer. Besides, it has no historical significance so it has outlived its usefulness,” he said.
He added that the flag of a group was the soul and a direct reflection of what they stood for; hence, the change to get one that was more suitable and reflective of the group’s ideals.
He reiterated that the cloth was also to give the group an identity during public functions, meetings and other events, saying that “this is the first time the group has come out with a branded cloth and we want to identify ourselves with the cloth during public functions and other events.”
