Ghana@50 needs more money

... 241 Saloon cars not fully paid for yet
... souvenir cup for school children not paid for
Accra, March 22, GNA - The Ghana @ 50 Secretariat on Thursday said it needed more money besides the 20 million dollars allocated to it by Parliament and other donations from corporate organisations to enable it carry out its activities throughout the year.

Dr Charles Wereko-Brobbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Secretariat briefing the media on "Ghana @ 50; Beyond The Birthday" said there were a number of activities lined up after the successful Mach 6 parade and that more money was needed to carry the activities more successfully.

He said about 5.4 million school children were to receive a souvenir cup next week at a cost of 14,000 cedis each totalling 70 billion cedis explaining that the souvenirs were received late. Dr Wereko-Brobbey said the public funds the secretariat got were spent on infrastructure and that rehabilitation works at the Independence Square alone was 2 million dollars and a durbar ground was built in each of the nine regional capitals.

He said each of the Regions received 200 million cedis while each District got 100 million cedis in addition to the 40 public toilets built along some selected highways.

Dr Wereko-Brobbey said a lot had been done and there was value for money which reflected the success achieved so far to bring more success.

"We want to move the country from its polarity to peace and unity; we want to sustain the peace and oneness of the country." He said: "before the 6th March, it was as if Ghanaians were at the end of daggers drawn with each at each others throat ready to slit it, that is why it is important to keep the jubilee flame ablaze."

He said the 241 Saloon cars, including Mercedes, Chrysler, Jaguar and Peugeot cars bought at a cost of 62 billion cedis with payment spread over three years were not only meant for the Golden Jubilee celebration.

Some of the cars would be used for the African Union (AU) summit this year, and African Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA) meeting that Ghana is hosting as well as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)12, and CAN 2008.

Dr Wereko-Brobbey noted that after the AU Summit 110 of the Mercedes Benz cars would be sold to fetch about 120 billion cedis making up for the cost of all the cars and that the 50 buses would be used for CAN 2008.
He said the Secretariat was also providing sponsorship for the Ghana Brazil match to be screened live on March 27 as another unifying sport for Ghanaians.

He urged Ghanaians to patronize other activities that the Ghana@50 Secretariat had lined up for the year and to have the feel that they are Ghanaians.