The COVID-19 National Trust Fund, the emergency fund set up in 2020 to mobilize resources to support government in its management of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Ghana disbursed GH¢53 million to support COVID-19 related programmes and expenditure in the country.
Chairperson of the Fund and former Chief Justice, Sophia Abena Boafoa Akuffo who disclosed this yesterday at the meet-the-press series being organised by the Ministry of Information said the amount was disbursed out a total of GH¢62 million raised as of 30th June, 2022.
She said the amount raised by the Fund constitutes donations from individuals, corporate institutions, and professional associations.
“As of 30th June, 2022, the Fund received GH¢62,329,941.98. Particularly at the heat of matters, we had also received a whole range of in-kind donations including sanitizers, cleansers, cleansing equipment, various types of dry foods, drinks and so on. In addition, we also received a number of vehicles from donors and other noble institutions for which we allocated to institutions engaged in the combat of the pandemic,” she said.
Justice Sophia Akuffo said the Fund has so far disbursed GH¢53,230,805.37 in COVID-19 expenditure, procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for distribution to institutions helping in the management of the disease as well as to cover administrative expenses.
Providing more details, she explained that in 2020 when the disease was raging, the Fund disbursed a total amount of GH¢42,245,650.
This, Justice Sophia Akuffo indicated, included the GH¢6,801,840 the Fund allocated to the Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund (GCPSF) for the construction of the 100-bed National Infectious Disease Centre in Accra.
It also included the support to the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and other relevant institutions for the procurement of the needed logistics to heighten public education and awareness of the pandemic and its prevention.
Justice Sophia Akuffo said the Fund in 2021 disbursed an amount of GH¢4,997,765 towards the fight against the pandemic whereas in 2022, it has so far made allocation of GH¢5,617,223.
She explained this includes cash allocation for the airing of documentaries to promote the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination and the GH¢2,272,762 allocated to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research to undertake COVID-19 vaccine research to establish the durability of immune responses elicited by three vaccines within the Ghanaian population.
According to Justice Sophia Akuffo, in line with the Fund’s promise to be transparent in the disbursement and management of monies raised through the fund to support government in its COVID-19 management, its current balance as of 30th June 2022 stood at GH¢9,099,136.
