The National Authorizing Officer’s (NAO) Office of the Ministry of Finance and the European Delegation in Ghana have donated some protective equipment to selected Basic and Senior High Schools in the Greater Accra Region.

The donation was also extended to some selected NGOs to support the vulnerable in society, the NGOs will be delivering the facemasks in local markets in Greater Accra. This initiative is one of the several measures of the EU and the NAO to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

The donation is purposed to support the Ministry of Education to effectively roll out government’s measures in enabling final year students of the JHS and SHS complete their final examinations. The donation is also intended to help continuing students in the eventual reopening schools.

The beneficiaries of the donation will each receive 200 veronica buckets, 35 community hand-washing stations 20 megaphones, 300 4.5 litre gallons of hand-washing liquid soaps and 2500 reusable facemasks. Among some of the 15 JHS and 20 SHS selected in Accra are Darkuman 1 JHS, Gbawe DC School, Accra Academy SHS, Ebenezer SHS, Wesley Grammar SHS, Osu Presbyterian SHS, among others.

The Director of the Resource Mobilization and Economic Relations Division of the Ministry of Finance, Ms. Yvonne Quansah, in her opening remarks mentioned that controlling the spread of the pandemic will require a sustained effort on the part of individuals, communities and the government to continuously adhere to the safety protocols with particular focus on the wearing of mask, washing of hands with soap under running water as well as observing social distance.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Ghana, Mr. Pieter Smidt Van Gelder, on behalf of the Ambassador Dian Acconcia, stated that the EU is determined to partner African governments to control the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and sustaining economic stability of the country.

“Over the past few months, the European Union, and projects supported by European Funds, have donated several PPEs to communities, individuals and other government institutions. The EU will remain committed to the support of the government, local organizations and citizens off Ghana in the fight against COVID-19”. Mr. Pieter Smidt Van Gelder added.