The "DOLLAR A MONTH FOR GHANA FUND" an initiative of the Ghana High Commission in Freetown last Saturday bagged an amount of $16,500 at a special dance in Freetown during which the Fund was re-launched.

The amount represented cash donations and pledges including an earlier donation of $4,650 from Ghanaian troops serving in Sierra Leone

The Fund was first launched on February 12, 2002 by Ghana's Minister of Defence, Hon. Dr. Kwame Addo Kufuor and aims at supporting humamnitarian causes in Ghana and Sierra

The Fund in its first year realised $21,000 and made presentations to a number of institutions in the two countries.

In an address to re-launch the Fund, Ghana's High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, H.E. Kabral Blay-Amihere said that the Fund is intended to reach out to more Ghanaian institutions.

Urging Ghanaians to donate generously to the Fund, he said that Ghanaians abroad should consider it a privilege to support humanitarian causes in the motherland.

He praised Ghanaians living in Sierra Leone for leading the way and also urged them to keep the torch burning.

The Guest of Honour for the occasion, Chief Izubundu Chinyere, a Nigerian business entrepreneur commended the initiative of the Ghana High Commission, adding that it was a cause worthy of support from all Ghanaians and friends of Ghana.

Chief Izubundu, popularly known as Cheif Tony, made a personal donation of $3000 to the Fund and an additional one million Leones to the band of Ghanbatt 7 which provided music at the function.

Mr. Yaw Opoku Ansah, the Chief Executive of Office Automation Systems Limited, a Ghanaian information technology company with operations in Ghana and Sierra Leone donated $2000to the Fund on behalf of the company .

The occasion attracted a large number of Ghanaians. Present were the Commander of the UNAMSIL Ghanaian contingent, Colonel Mike Amuzu and the Commanding Officer of Ghanbatt 7, Lt. Colonel Braimah Musah.