The Chief of Staff, Mrs Akosua Frema Osei-Opare has disclosed that, as of mid-December 2020, the COVID-19 National Trust Fund had received GHS57.15 million in cash donations, in addition to donations in kind from corporate organisations.

Mrs Osei-Opare, who made this known at the 72nd annual New Year School, indicated that the Fund has so far disbursed GHS49.29 million for different programmes, out of the total amount.

The beneficiary institutions include the Ghana Health Service, selected hospitals and health facilities, COVID-19 care management centres, isolation, laboratory and testing centres, selected associations, care homes and orphanages, among others.

The two-day programme was organised by the School of Continuing and Distance Education of the College of Education of the University of Ghana on the theme: “Building Ghana in the face of global health crises”.

Mrs Osei-Opare said the COVID-19 pandemic had led to capacity limitations in the delivery of essential public goods and services, especially in the health sector.

“The virus has adversely affected infrastructure, security, public order, health, social protection and assistance, education, housing, labour and, indeed, every element of societal well-being.

“The resulting skills gaps, capacity deficits and lost jobs and economic opportunities will require more creativity by the government in future,” she stated.

She further noted that, the way forward for the country was to rely more on technology, innovation and digital governance to produce goods and render services.

“To do so, the government, in collaboration with the private sector and international development partners, has put in place measures to ensure that the digital divide is addressed.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has also illuminated the importance of government-society relations and the need for trust between citizens and their government,” she added.

Mrs Osei-Opare said in the midst of the challenges, the government, in line with its obligations under international human rights law, was committed to upholding the rule of law, accountability, democratic processes and good governance.

According to her, the pandemic had pushed governments across the world to initiate extraordinary responses to manage the impact of the virus,.

She said the situation also led to the passage of the Imposition of Restrictions Act, 2020 (Act 1012) and various Executive instruments in the country.

Mrs Osei-Opare said such measures “have significantly contributed to Ghana and Africa's relatively low infection rates, compared to other parts of the world”.