Accra, 21st August, 2017: Republic Bank (Ghana) Limited, a subsidiary of Republic Financial Holdings Limited, in collaboration with Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation has successfully launched the Republic-Infanta Ride Out Malaria Cycling Tour; an initiative to create awareness of Clean Ghana and to raise funds towards the building of a Community-Based Health Planning Services (CHPS) Compound in a suburb of Tamale, Northern Region. The initiative was launched last Friday, 18th August, 2017 at the Bank’s Head Office.
The 668 kilometer Cycling Tour is expected to start form the location where the CHPS compound is being built at Nyanshegu, a suburb of Tamale in the Northern Region on 15th September 2017 and end in Accra on the 23rd of September 2017. Speaking at the Launch, the Board Chairman of Republic Bank, Mr. Charles William Zwennes said the cyclists will be making stopovers at specific Republic Bank Branches within the Northern, Brong Ahafo, Ashanti and Eastern Regions. At each stopover, a mini awareness program will be held and funds will be raised towards the CHPS project. “In Greater Accra, they would be stopovers at selected branches and a big durbar will be held at the Bank’s Head Office to climax the tour” he said. According to the Board Chairman, the Bank has partnered with the Velocity and the Chain Gang Cycling Groups to embark on the Awareness Cycling Tour.
The Acting Managing Director of Republic Bank, Mr. Anthony Jordan gave further in-depth on why the Bank is involved in this project. According to him, a core pillar of the Bank’s Vision is to Build Successful Community. “We believe that CSR should lead to long term Social Impact. To have a clean Ghana means preventing the main causes of Malaria transmission thereby reducing the rate of mortality in the country. Republic Bank is happy to be associated with such a cause”.
The Outgoing Managing Director of the Bank, Mr. Robert Le Hunte gave his last public address with an encouragement to all corporate Organization to embrace the spirit of volunteerism. According to him, everything cannot be done by Government. “The reality is that our taxes; no matter how improved they are will never be enough to build a nation. However, leadership and volunteerism will make it better.”
Speaking at the launch, the Deputy Minister of Health, Mr. Kingsley Aboagye Gyedu, commended Republic Bank for embarking on the Clean Ghana and Malaria Prevention initiative. According to him, the gesture shown by Republic Bank was an eye opener especially for a financial institution to veer off from its core mandate of offering financial services to supporting issues that bothers on health.
Also present at the launch were; a representative of the Minister of Gender and Social Protection, Dr Dennis Addo, a representative of the Malaria Control Program, Mr. James Frimpong and representatives of Infanta Malaria Prevention Foundation. Speaking on behalf of the Foundation, the Deputy Chairperson of the Foundation Mrs. Ophelia Akiwumi thanked Republic Bank for the Partnership. She assured the Bank and all Ghanaians of the Foundation’s commitment to their core goal of fighting Malaria prevalence in Ghana. She also gave insights on the Foundation activities and the CHPS compound being built in the Northern Region.
The launch, an amount of GH50,000 was raised as seed funds to kick-start the nationwide fundraising tour. The Bank targets to raise an amount of GH400,000 from the fundraising initiative.