MTN donates to flood victims

Accra, Aug. 8, GNA - MTN Ghana Foundation, a social responsibility wing of the telecommunication giants, on Monday presented relief items totalling GH¢40,000 to flood victims in the Volta and Eastern Regions at a ceremony in Accra.

In addition, the Foundation in collaboration with JOY FM, an Accra based radio station, has jointly set up a MTN/JOYFM Flood Victims Support Fund with a seed capital of GH¢5,000.

The relief items which were donated through the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) included rice, maize, beans, salt, sugar and tin fish.

Non-food items were 50 mobile phones with GH¢1,000 airtime, soap, detergents, student mattresses, blankets, polymers and cups.

Under the fund, MTN subscribers and donors could donate by texting their contributions through mobile phone number 0246300324 to the fund so that proceeds could be used to purchase some more relief items.

Mr Robert Kuzoe, Executive Secretary of the Foundation, described the floods in the two regions as a national catastrophe which warranted their intervention.

According to him statistics from NADMO indicated that over 15,000 people within 13 districts in the two regions were displaced by the floods.

“We are bringing relief items to these unfortunate victims to make life more meaningful to them as they pick up the pieces,” Mr Kuzoe said.

He said MTN was not only into business in the country but it tried to enrich the lives of people within the community it worked.

“This donation is a clear indication that MTN can go beyond the boundaries of selling services to the public but we also try to affect lives especially in communities that we operate.”

Appealing to Ghanaians to take care of the environment so the country could have a sustainable future, Mr Kuzoe also urged Ghanaians to contribute to the fund in order to reach out to more people.

Mr Kuzoe further pledged MTN’s commitment to support government and its agencies to improve the living conditions of people adding, “we will continue to support you in diverse ways in your effort to enrich the lives of Ghanaians.”

Mr Ebenezer Dosoo, Deputy National Coordinator of NADMO, who received the items, expressed his appreciation to the Board of MTN Foundation for supporting the flood victims in the two regions.

He said NADMO was going to give to “the neediest among the needy” with emphasis on pregnant women, the elderly and children.

Mr Dosoo noted that the mobile phones were going to assist the organization to respond to emergencies as well as gather enough data for report writing.

“An efficient communication system would achieve fast results and gather data to manage disasters,” he added.

MTN Foundation was established by the MTN Group Board as the vehicle to effectively administer MTN’s corporate social responsibility contributions.