STAR Ghana Foundation together with its implementing partners of the COVID-19 Response Project has hosted a press conference in Accra, Ghana. The event held on Tuesday, July 2020, sought to inform the media, stakeholders of the Foundation, and the public of Civil Society’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana.
Alhaji Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, Executive Director of STAR Ghana Foundation in his opening remarks expressed appreciation to the UKAid and the European Union for their contribution as funders of the project. He elaborated on the purpose of the COVID-19 Response Project by indicating that:
“The project seeks to increase the effectiveness of inclusive actions by state and non-state actors towards the elimination of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is designed to complement efforts by the government and other stakeholders to prevent the spread of the virus and to mitigate the effects and risks of the pandemic and response actions on vulnerable and marginalised social groups.”
Representatives of CSO partners of the project took turns to share some of the key results, challenges, and lessons learned so far with the Media. Some of the major results achieved after three months of project implementation include:
An increase in citizens’ access to accurate, timely, inclusive and relevant information on COVID-19 and response actions. The project has directly reached over 800,000 citizens with accurate and reliable information on COVID-19 pandemic through the use of among others, revered religious leaders as advocates, and addressing Fake news about COVID-19’.
Coordinated local resource mobilisation to support national and local responses to COVID-19. A CSO Fund, set-up in March 2020 raised GHS 114,612.62 of cash donations from 72 CSOs across Ghana within one month. The funds is supporting in procurement of essentials to support the very vulnerable citizens to cope with the impact of the pandemic.
Tracking Government expenditure and gathering data for advocating inclusive, transparent and accountable response measures using innovation platforms to survey citizens feedback.
Formation of a CSO Coordination Platform for COVID-19 Response. Ten (10) major Ghanaian CSOs have pioneered the group, which seeks to support coordinated actions of CSOs for a greater and sustained results.
About the STAR Ghana Foundation COVID-19 Project
In April 2020, STAR-Ghana Foundation launched its COVID-19 Response Project on the theme: `The Role of Civil Society in the fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic”. The Foundation subsequently awarded approximately four million, eight hundred Ghana Cedis (GHS 4,800,000.00) to seven (7) strategic partners. The partners are also working with several sub-partners to roll-out initiatives across the length and breadth of the country.
The partners of the Project include the Christian Health Association of Ghana - CHAG; Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations - GFDO; CARITAS-Ghana; Media Foundation for West Africa - MFWA; Penplubytes; CSOs Platform on SDGs; and the West Africa Civil Society Institute - WACSI. These partners are implementing projects around Four components: Public Education; Provision of support to vulnerable groups; Policy Influencing; Documentation and sharing of learning around CSO support in the Covid-19 response.
