The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) Anti COVID-19 Public Education Campaign in the Eastern Region has received a major boost as corporate bodies and individuals have donated in cash and kind to support the campaign.
The Association of Ghana Industries donated a number of hand sanitizers; B. Foster Bakery also donated GHC 5,000.00, and Mr. William Ankuvie, Chief Executive Officer of Sandra Fashions, Koforidua also donated a number of face masks for the protection of the staff.
Mr. Eric Kwakye Darfour, the Eastern Regional Minister, presented a cheque of GHC 5,000.00 on behalf of B. Foster Bakery; Mr. Ben Akoto, a representative of AGI, presented the hand sanitizers and Mr. William Ankuvie, Chief Executive of Sandra Fashion, presented the face masks.
The Regional Minister called on the citizens to adhere to all health preventive measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the region.
Mr Alex Sackey, NCCE Eastern Regional Director, who received the items commended corporate Ghana for responding to a national duty to support the commission to undertake its mandate.
The Regional Director afterwards in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said there is the urgent need for the private sector and public sector to work together especially in the fight against COVID-19.
He said the private sector has the resources, whilst the public sector has the technical knowledge and capacity to under to undertake holistic national action; “we must, therefore, work together, leverage on each other’s strengths for the interest of mother Ghana”.
Mr. Sackey commended corporate bodies and the AGI in the Eastern Region for responding to the Commission’s appeal and supporting the NCCE Anti COVID-19 Public Education Campaign.
Giving an update on the NCCE Eastern Anti COVID-19 Public Education; Mr Sackey said, the regional directorate through its district directors is engaging the citizens across the region as means to containing the spread of the virus.
The campaign is being undertaken with the Church of Pentecost, which has provided a mobile cinema van to sensitise citizens within the Region.
Mr Sackey said the Commission is targeting 4,164 communities by the end of the campaign with particular emphasis on the need for the public to observe precautionary measures to help curb the spread of the COVID-19 in the region.
He said “we are still stressing on the regular and thorough handwashing with soap under running water; use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers; and practicing respiratory hygiene by covering one’s mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing are central to the campaign.
Mr Sackey commended government for the introduction of mandatory wearing of masks in public places “as public civic educators, we have captured the proper wearing of mask as part of the education.
The NCCE Eastern Regional Director said the public are also being educated on the need to avoid the touching of eyes, nose, mouth and the face generally and adhere to social distancing these are elementary but necessary to preventive mechanism.
He urged the public to remain calm and comply with the safety measures advocated by government and health experts and suspend all public gatherings including funerals, religious and sporting activities with the exception of private burials limited to 25 persons.
Mr Sackey said as a “region, we love solidarity-attending funerals, social gatherings, religious and traditional activities, exhibiting personal affections through hand shaking and other social lifestyles that bind us together but now these have become taboo.
“We cannot engage in all these activities, it does not mean we hurt the other person but rather it should be seen as a way of expressing our love and affections through social distancing”.
He urged residents with health concerns to reach out to the Eastern Regional Health Directorate with any COVID-19 information through the hotlines: 0591249361; 0591249331; 0591248474; and 0591246589.
“Anytime you find any person with fever, cough, and shortness of breath and breathing difficulties, which are some of the common signs of COVID-19, please call the hotlines,” Mr Sackey said.
He appealed to the public to support the Commission to enable it carry out its mandate effectively and most importantly, win the war on COVID 19.
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