Sunyani MCE outdoors ‘Mask Ambassadors’

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Sunyani in the Bono region, Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene has inaugurated the “Mask Ambassadors”, a group that advocates the wearing of nose masks to stem the spread of the COVID-19 disease in the Municipality.

The eight-member group, comprising mostly journalists and two health officials, would work to scale-up public education on the use of nose masks as well as help to control societal stigmatization associated with COVID-19.

At a short ceremony in Sunyani, Madam Owusu-Banahene commended the “Mask Ambassadors” for the initiative, and said the advocacy is a call to duty, which requires commitment to achieve results.

She said the Municipal COVID-19 response team is working around the clock to ensure that the residents in the Municipality adhere to the social and physical distancing protocols, hand washing with soap under running water as well as complying with government directives on the COVID-19.

Madam Owusu-Banahene noted the media play a vital role in the fight against the COVID-19, and welcomed the idea of the campaigners, saying: “You have placed huge responsibility on yourselves as media practitioners and the Municipal Assembly will also support you to achieve your aspirations”.

She expressed the hope that corporate bodies, opinion leaders and entrepreneurs would support the campaign to help combat the spread of the disease in the Municipality and beyond.

The lead advocate of the “Mask Ambassadors”, Mr. Dennis Peprah, underscored the need for the media to think outside the box, go beyond their normal work of news reporting to be able to contribute significantly to prevent the spread of the virus.

Though the campaign, he explained is a voluntary call to duty, the campaigners would require support from local manufacturers and business entities, corporate institutions, philanthropic individuals and organisations to supply the vulnerable and high risk population with the nose masks.

Mr. Peprah called on the media to use their airwaves and various media platforms to help sharpen the narratives and address the stigma against the COVID-19 to control its spread.

“The media, especially local radio stations must sieve and avoid reports that have the tendency to stigmatize carriers of the virus”, he added.

Meanwhile, Kenzie Designs and Fashions Institute, a Sunyani-based fashion design training school has presented 50 nose masks to the Mask Ambassadors to be distributed to the less privileged and high risk population in the Sunyani Municipality.

This is to protect them from contracting the novel Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19).
The nose masks would be distributed to identifiable head potters, truck and wheel barrow pushers, people with disability and the aged.
The General Manager of the Institute, Mr. Richmond Kwadwo Tuffour, observed that government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of stemming the spread of the disease, hence the need for the private sector to support the fight.

He stressed individual protection is a surest way to control the spread of the disease and advised the public to wear the nose masks, and adhere to all the health safety protocols.
Mr Francis Owusu-Ansah, the Bono Regional Correspondent for The Chronicle and Deputy Leader of the campaigners thanked the Institute and appealed for more support.
He said until majority of the citizens, especially the less privileged, have the nose masks, it would be difficult to encourage them to wear, and called on local manufacturing companies and philanthropists to support the campaign.

The members are; DennisPeprah, GJA Secretary, B/BE/A, Francis Owusu-Ansah, The Chronicle, Kwabena Obeng Akrofi, Morning show host, Ark FM, Kyei Adoma Samuel, Morning Show host-Suncity Radio and Mr Clement Bonsu, PA/PRO to MCE.

The rest are; Seth Opoku Agyemang, News Editor, Space FM, Esther K. Nsiah, Nurse, SDA Hospital, Evelyn Opoku Agyemang, Nurse, Municipal HSP and Naa Aku-Shika Allotey, Nurse, Municipal HSP.

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