By Florence Afriyie Mensah
Kumasi, April 12, GNA – The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has commended the Rotary Club for contributing significantly to Ghana’s socio-economic development.
He said Rotary International, through its affiliates, had always been a pillar of hope for many people.
Rotary Clubs, he said, had chalked significant victories in Ghana, protecting countless futures through widespread efforts, adding that, these critical initiatives underscored Rotary’s commitment to a healthier future for the nation.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu, who was speaking at the opening of the Rotary International District 9104 conference in Kumasi, said Rotary’s focus on providing sustainable water solutions and improving sanitation, had transformed many lives, adding that, it was very important the association continued embarking on projects that aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The King, touching on Rotary’s efforts in education, said building schools, awarding scholarships and supporting literacy had opened hope for Ghanaian youth and this “investment is pivotal in helping our future leaders to achieve on a grander scale.”
“Economic empowerment has also been a key focus with Rotary’s work in micro-finance, vocational training and agricultural support catalyzing economic growth, job creation and self-sufficiency, thus; re-enforcing our economic fabric,” he added.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, touching on the theme for the conference “Rotary: Creating Hope for Ghana’ indicated that it was not just a theme but a mission and a call to further action.
Rotary must therefore poise itself to champion initiatives that foster environmental sustainability, equitable education and broad economic opportunities, paving the way for a prosperous future for all Ghanaians.
Addressing health challenges beyond polio, including malaria, HIV/AIDS and new emerging health concerns remained imperative and Rotary’s continued efforts are essential in building a robust healthcare system accessible to all.
The Asantehene said collaborative efforts were also vital to surmounting complex challenges and urged the association to forge stronger bonds with governments, the private sector and civil societies to achieve sustainable and impactful outcomes.
He said while Rotary sought for peace, the chieftaincy institution would continue to resolve issues that brought animosity to communities in Ghana.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II charged the club to continue leveraging on strengths to build legacies of prosperity, equity and sustainability for Ghana.
Mr David Osei Amankwah, District Governor (Rotary District 9104), said as part of the features of Rotary, members were committed to empowering the people economically by giving microloans to small groups and tracking the progress of their businesses.
Rotary also offered literacy and vocational skills and other social interventions such as education, healthcare, water, sanitation and hygiene projects.
Mr. Amankwah said Rotary embarked on an initiative dubbed “Rotary Greens Ghana” initiative which seeks to transform the idea and task of ‘greening’ our environment by planting trees from being just a physical activity to an ingrained social and behavioural change.
The hope was to meet a target of planting 100,000 trees by World Environment Day in June 2024.
Another significant project the District Governor talked about was the Solar Vaccine Shelter Project.
It aims to provide identifiable health facilities with more reliable and consistent sources of power to store vaccines.
Presently, there are about 2,223 facilities across the country without Cold Chain Equipment (CCE).
This includes 326 requiring Solar Direct Devices (SDDs comprising a panel, an inverter and a fridge).
GNA