By Albert Futukpor
Daboya (S/R), Jan. 06, GNA – The North Gonja Community Foundation (NGCF), a community-owned and incorporated non-profit organisation, has been inaugurated to address the developmental needs of the area by uniting citizens of the area to give back to their community.
The NGCF is a public charity organisation dedicated to mobilising local resources to leverage other resources through partnerships to address identified development problems that face residents of the North Gonja District in the Savannah Region, and work with stakeholders to provide sustainable solutions.
It will serve as an agency for promoting leadership, community philanthropy and a place for community grant making supporting local community development initiatives that contribute to make the district a healthy and happy place for all residents.
Alhaji Asei Seni Mahama Deputy Minister for Health, who is also Member of Parliament for Daboya-Mankarigu, speaking during the inauguration of the NGCF at Daboya, said it would unite the people to contribute to the development of the district.
The ceremony was attended by major stakeholders in the area including traditional, religious, and political leaders as well as all other well-meaning residents.
Alhaji Mahama assured of his support for the NGCF to succeed saying “The only way we can change our situation is to support this Community Foundation to grow.”
Kasah Wuriche, President of the Savannah Regional Queen Mothers Association lauded the initiative and assured of the support of the queen mothers and traditional leaders to the NGCF to achieve its intended objectives for the benefit of the people.
Chief Gabasiwura Daniel Iddrisu, Board Chairman of NGCF appealed to the public including residents of North Gonja, who resided outside the area, to support by inculcating the habit of giving back to their community saying, “It is not only monetary donations that can bring the needed development but also the expertise, the guidance and tools.”
Dr Rufai Haruna Kilu, a Senior Lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra, who spoke on the topic: “Inculcating the Giving Culture to Your Community,” encouraged all to demonstrate leadership by playing active roles in the development of their communities by giving back in terms of their talent, connections, money, and other in-kind resources that would make their communities a better place.
Dr Mordzeh-Ekpampo Musah Ibrahim, a Senior Lecturer at Faculty of Sustainable Development, University for Development Studies, urged community leaders across the country to create the enabling environment that would encourage and attract their sons and daughters both home and abroad to identify themselves with the development issues of their communities to give back to the communities to make them a better place.
Mr Habib Haruna, Chief Executive of Pure Trust Foundation, the lead organisation for the development of Community Foundations in Ghana, said the Community Foundations being established across the country would serve as a vehicle for philanthropy to drive development agenda to complement government’s commitment in ensuring the welfare of citizens.
He said, “With the Community Foundations, we liaise with the community members and leadership to identify peculiar needs and the ways to address them.”
Mr Musah Asafo, Chief Executive of NGCF appealed to community members both home and in diaspora and corporate organisations to register and support the Foundation by making annual donations in support of its work.
Mr Asafo said the NGCF was working to raise a 200,000.00 seed fund for a strong head start.
He, therefore, appealed to community members to make cash donations to raise the seed fund.
Mr Alhassan Abdallah, a Board Member of Bole District Community Foundation, in a solidarity message, congratulated all for their efforts to inaugurate the NGCF urging the NGCF to be steadfast, transparent, and accountable in their stewardship to win the trust of residents.
Meanwhile, an 11-member Board of Directors of the NGCF was sworn into office to steer its affairs for the next five years.
GNA