Ho, Sept. 30, GNA - The Barclays Miles Ahead Expedition arrived on its first stop in Ho on Thursday and donated 50 million cedis on behalf of the Bank into the coffers of the Asogli Education Fund. Mrs. Shola Safo-Duodu, Head of Corporate Affairs, leading the expedition, expressed delight at the coincidence of the arrival of the voyage team with the celebration of the Yam Festival of the people of Asogli.

One of the highlights of the festival this year was the launch of appeal for money into the education fund, which was formally instituted at this year's Easter Congress of the Asogli State. Mrs. Safo-Duodu described the fund as laudable and worthy of support by Barclays.

The Barclays Miles Ahead expedition is intended to hype interest in domestic tourism.

Togbe Afede XIV, Agbogbomefia, said Barclays' support for the fund and other social support programmes "distinguishes the bank as an important corporate citizen of the nation". He said the objective of the expedition was important for the Volta Region, which has many untapped tourist attractions. Togbe Afede said what was important for Ghana to do in the area of tourism promotion was to set targets and work towards attaining them. "That is the only way the potential of the sector can be unlocked," Togbe Afede stated.

Barclays also presented six bottles of schnapps to the Asogli State. Barclays, which is undertaking the expedition with collaboration from the Ministry of Tourism, Ghana Tourist Board (GTB), Toyota Ghana Limited, Mobil Oil Ghana Limited and Type Ghana Limited and the Holy Trinity Medical Centre, expects to raise billions of cedis in support of the communities along the route of the caravan. It is a platform for Barclays to also bring to the fore, its commitment to customers and the communities in which it operates. At the same ceremony, Mr Frank Ageve, Managing Director of Kum Frankie Limited, presented a set of furniture and a writing table, worth 15.5 million cedis to the Asogli State for use in its offices. Mr Mawutor Goh, Ho Municipal Chief Executive also presented four bottles of schnapps and 10 million cedis cash to the Asogli State, towards this year's festival.

At the close of the ceremony, the chief and elders of the Asogli State conferred the chieftaincy title of Mama Dzigbordi on Mrs. Margaret Mwanakatwe, Managing Director of Barclays. 30 Sept. 05