The People of Anum in the Anum Traditional Area in the Asuogyaman District in the Eastern Region have launched a community development foundation known as the Anumman Development Foundation.

The inauguration of the foundation last Saturday at a durbar held at the Anum Lorry Station, which also coincided with the launch of a market project for the Anum community, attracted a lot of indigenes of the area.

The foundation, which is being implemented by Celdar Foundation and supported by STAR Ghana Foundation with funding from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is aimed at promoting development activities in the area.

The Ghana Philanthropy Forum, Ark Development Organisation and International Child Development Programme are also partnering Celdar Foundation in the implementation.

Objective

The objective of the foundation is to support the Anum community to put in place a well-structured mechanism for attracting donations from its citizens, both local and abroad, as well as from non-governmental organisations, companies, philanthropists and development partners, with the aim of helping to address community needs.

At the launch of the foundation, a 10-member Board of Trustees was sworn in by the Adontenhene of the Anum Traditional Area, Nana Kwasi Anyane.

The members comprise the Chairman, Asafoatse Okumani Gyau; Vice-Chairperson, Asare Baffour; members, John K. Owusu, Samuel Agyei, Samuel Ayesu and Isaac Odame Nyarko.

The rest were Ellen Baidoo, David Acheampong, Nana Odame Osafo and Rev. Dr Benjamin Mireku.

Nana Anyane said all those selected for the various leadership positions were from Anum and hoped they were going to work from their hearts in the interest of the area.

The Executive Director of Celdar Foundation, John Obuaba, said the foundation served as a vehicle for addressing key development challenges in the area and would be attracting government and other agencies to come and address such challenges for the foundation to achieve its aims and objectives. 

Unity

The Assistant Director in charge of Administration of the Asuogyaman District Assembly, Prospera Nyelkebo Lekuu, who represented the District Chief Executive, enjoined the people of Anumman to remember that the strength of the community lay in unity and peaceful atmosphere of its members, as they embarked on the new chapter of growth and development.

“Together we have the power to shape a brighter future for Anumman.

Let us work hand in hand, embrace innovation and harness collective potential to overcome challenges and seize opportunities that lie ahead.

“This is an opportunity for us to come together and create an environment where every individual can realise their potential and dreams.

It is our duty to ensure that the benefits of the development foundation reach every corner of our Anum community, leaving no one behind,” she stressed.

The Executive Director of STAR Ghana Foundation, Alhaji Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, stressed that the project should be community-owned, in order to address issues in the area for their own betterment.

He explained that due to the economic challenges all over the world, external support from the donor countries had reduced significantly, saying “this is affecting the assistance we are getting as a country as well as STAR Ghana and the others.”

A lawyer and native of Anum, B. K. Afari Danso, who chaired the function, entreated all members of the Board of Trustees to put in their best.

SOURCE: GraphicOnline