Three organisations assist flood victims

Published in the Daily Graphic on 10/07/2010, pg 15

Story: Matilda Attram

THREE organisations have donated items worth GH¢13,200 towards mitigating the plight of victims of the recent floods that hit parts of the country.
Access Bank Limited donated 30 bags of rice, 30 boxes of cooking oil, blankets and some used clothes valued at GH¢5,000. In collaboration with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) the bank has opened a Disaster Relief Account with the number (0011620022561) to encourage the public to contribute to support recent flood victims as well as prepare towards future disasters.
Unique Star Foods, the producers of Vega Foods, for their part presented assorted products from the company worth GH¢2,500. The products include boxes of tomato paste, evaporated milk, cooking oil, mackerel and bags of rice.
Ashfoam Ghana Limited, on the other hand, contributed 150 pieces of students mattresses valued at GH¢5,700.
On June 20 this year, severe floods hit parts of the country, particularly the Western, Central, Volta, and Greater Accra regions, leading to the destruction of properties .
Presenting the items, the Country Managing Director of Access Bank Ghana Limited, Mr Yomi Akapo, said the presentation was part of the company’s social responsibility to give to society to support the lives of others.
According to him, although the company was young in the country, it contributed most of its efforts towards national development.
“This initiative is in line with the Access Bank’s corporate commitment to humanitarian assistance and social interventions in the country,” he stated.
The Head of Corporate Communications of Access Bank Ghana Limited, Mrs Matilda Asante-Asiedu, said the bank took its social responsibilities seriously since it had the welfare of the people as its top priority.
She said the company maintained its corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy in line with the Access Bank Group’s corporate strategy, adding that “The bank’s initiatives cover five key areas: Education, Environment, Health, Arts and Sports.”
The Marketing Manager of Unique Star Foods, Mr Selassie Mawuenyega, and the Marketing Officer of Ashfoam Ghana Limited, Mr Emmanuel Dakey, also explained that their contributions towards the disaster was in fulfilment of their companies social responsibility.
Receiving the items, the Minister of the Interior, Mr Martin Amidu, expressed the government’s appreciation to the three organisations, and called on other organisations to also support the efforts of the government and NADMO to assist the flood victims.
“Government is trying its best but also need your support to enable us to assist our brothers and sisters who have found themselves in this situation,” he added.
In a statement the National Co-ordinator for NADMO, Mr Kofi Portuphy, noted that the number of dead bodies retrieved nationwide as a result of the disaster had increased from 31 to 36, with over 10,000 flood victims at Ashaiman alone.
He assured donors that the items would be used for the purpose for which they were donated and appealed to other organisations to support the victims of the flood disaster.