Dr Frank Amoakohene, the Ashanti Regional Minister has lauded the efforts of MTN Ghana for supporting the ongoing Ashanti Festival.
The Ashanti festival, a month long activity has been put together by the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (ARCC) since the assumption of office by the new Regional Minister.
The initiative it is aimed at celebrating cultural heritage sites, foods, dances, games and other historical activities of the Asante people.
Visiting the company’s stands mounted at the Methodist Church on Thursday during a medical screening exercise for prisoners at the Ashanti Main and a blood donation exercise sponsored by MTN Ghana for the public, the Minister commended the company for the collaboration.
“I am happy that MTN Ghana knows the importance of supporting initiatives that would mutually benefit the people in the region as well as the institutions and companies like theirs operating within this jurisdiction”, the Minister noted.
Prisons Commander:
Speaking later at a durbar at the precincts of the Adum Prisons, the Ashanti Regional Prisons Commander, DDP James Mwinyelle thanked the ARCC for adding the medical exercise to programmes outlined in the celebration of the Ashanti Festival.
He also applauded the Regional Minister, who is a medical professional for personally taking part in the screening of the prisoners to see to their welfare.
Mr Mwinyelle asked the ARCC to continuously put prisoners on their priority list and design visits and activities that would make them feel part of the society.
“Currently, our Prisons at Adum, Amanfrom, Manhyia and Ahensan have inmates that are able to design artefacts and other items such as beads, traditional hats and detergents as well as African prints. All we need is to secure partnerships that they can do these on a large scale so that when they are out of the prison they could find something better to do with their lives”, the Commander appealed.
Participants:
Akua Agyeman, a trader who visited the MTN medical stand to donate blood thanked the company for the opportunity.
She noted that but for the stock of blood at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital she would have lost a relative, adding that “I take the opportunity to donate blood anytime I am well and fit to do so”.
Alex Amankwah, a store keeper at Adum praised MTN for sustaining blood donation drives throughout the years.
“I am an MTN customer and what I like about this brand is that they take the welfare and wellbeing of the people of Ghana seriously and so I donate anytime I hear them reaching out”, Mr Amankwah stated.
Background:
For the past 12 years, MTN has in every year in the month of June reached out to communities in Ashanti with carefully designed projects and programmes tailored towards the health, education and the empowerment of the people of Ashanti.
Christened as “Ashantifest”, MTN Ghana carefully selects communities that they would visit and support in activities they choose to invest in including sports, educational, recreational as well as women empowerment.
Apart from data services and other activations the company engages in during Ashantifest, the company has previously reached out to communities like Fumso, Ejisu, Akyawkrom and many others with school infrastructure, libraries and computer centers.
Story By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie,
Kumasi
