Collective effort was key in COVID-19 fight -Dedo Kofi
Business Coach and advertising expert, Angela Dedo Kofi, has advised advertising firms in the country to use their expertise to help the country in times of crisis.
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Using COVID-19 as an example, she said the pandemic impacted lives in ways that could not be fathomed, but how the nation came together to contain the spread was exemplary.
“Private citizens and organizations rallied to the cause and supported the set-up of the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre.
“There is no better way to demonstrate how the citizenry can contribute to government's efforts than our collective response to the pandemic.” she stated.
Dedo Kofi, through her Advertising and Events firm, Adeko Minds, provided strategic communications support, branding and events coordination for the establishment of the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre, working with the Trustees of the Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund from inception to completion of the project.
For her contribution to this noble cause, she, together with a group of Ghanaians were honoured at the National Honours and Awards 2023 for their contribution to the fight against COVID-19.
The group of people were awarded by the President for distinguishing themselves in their various fields of endeavours and for contributing to national development.
Commenting on the award, she said “I am humbled by this recognition and I dedicate this to everyone that played a role in safeguarding lives during the pandemic, to the Trustees of the Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector and to everyone that donated to the cause.
“This is also a proud moment for my entire team at Adeko Minds. It would never be possible without their support, hard work and commitment,” she said.
Supporting national efforts
When the first cases of COVID-19 were announced in Ghana in March 2020, the Government announced measures to contain the pandemic and to protect lives.
To support national efforts aimed at safeguarding lives and enabling the country to effectively respond to the pandemic, a group of Ghanaians spearheaded the establishment of the Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund, which became a national platform to galvanise private sector contribution to the national effort.
A national fundraising effort by the Fund supported the construction of the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre (GIDC) to improve the diagnosis and research capacity of the country to manage infectious diseases.
The Centre played a big role in supporting national efforts at containing the virus.
In his statement at the awards ceremony, the President, Nana Akufo Addo commended the awardees for their contribution and service to the nation.
He said “…On behalf of the Ghanaian people and their government, I expressed the gratitude of the nation to the men and women who were entrusted with the responsibility of keeping us safe at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, to our foreign friends and partners who aided us in that enterprise, to the men and women who made sure that the maritime boundary dispute with our immediate, western neighbour, the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, ended favourably for the Republic of Ghana, thereby, ensuring that our western maritime resources, including its oil and gas potential, rightfully remained in our possession…”