The Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram Samuel Nartey George has reiterated the primary job of an MP is to make laws. MPs are however expected by their constituents to address daily needs and champion developments in their constituencies. Combining law-making and serving as a development agent has been a very difficult task for many MPs. According to Sam George, the development has led to the establishment of the Dzata Foundation, which aims at impacting lives one day at a time in the constituency.
The foundation, which has Vera George as CEO and other board members is to serve as a vehicle to deliver even better corporate social responsibility from the office of the MP. This according to the MP will not only lift the burden of undertaking such projects himself for him to focus on parliamentary business but will also ensure enough resources are mobilized for the course.
“Over the past six years, the office of the MP has managed social interventions in health care, education, livelihood support and skills training. That burden of responsibility on the MP’s office will be lifted with the introduction of the Dzata Foundation, which will be taking over the execution of support for constituents in these areas in line with SDGs 1 (No Poverty), 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), 4 (Quality Education) and 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).” Sam George said during the launch of the foundation
At the launch of the foundation, the Ningo-Prampram MP, together with the foundation and in the spirit of Christmas, distributed food items, including bags of rice, cooking oil, among others to about a thousand constituents and staff of the District Assembly to enable them to enjoy some Christmas cheer even in these tough economic times. Sam George indicated many families were not going to spend Christmas given the economic crisis the country is going through thus imploring those with the means to offer help.
Speaking to Starr News after the launch and the donation exercise, the CEO of the Dzata Foundation, Vera George, explained the rationale behind the setting of the foundation, saying it will enable the MP, Sam George, to focus on his core responsibility of making laws for the betterment of Ningo-Prampram and Ghana as a whole.
“Dzata Foundation is different from the MP’s office because we know that MPs are there to make laws. In the past, you have seen this MP (Sam George) go out of his way to put smiles on people’s faces. It’s not easy to walk to an MP or someone’s office and say I need money to go and pay fees, it has to go through a process that has been recognized, so that is what we will be doing. The office to run the MP’s corporate social responsibility, impact lives a day at a time and solicit funds to ensure constituents of Ningo-Prampram continue to enjoy goodies from Sam George’s office. It is not just an MP coming in to give out GHC100.00 and the like, but doing something impactful for people to feel that it’s not just like my MP is sitting in Parliament and just making laws, but at least we can feel his presence in our pockets and our livelihood as well,” the CEO said.
“We are looking to impact people’s lives through education, and when I say education, library setups, playgrounds for children, pay fees for some kids. In the past, we have paid fees for people attending the university, but this time, we want to go just beyond the university students. In healthcare, we’ll continue to pay hospital bills, among others. We’ll also set up businesses for people. In the past, we have given sewing machines to people who want to learn to sew, seamstresses, and going forward; we’re expanding this to include hairdressers, caterers and all.”
Vera also touched on the donation saying it was done in line with the spirit of giving during the festive season.
“We all agree that this has been a tough period, so if you can help someone, please do. In fact, since the onset of Covid till now, it’s been very tough, so we thought that during Christmas, people would want to sit with their families and eat and have a meal, but if times are so hard, how would they be able to do that and that’s the reason why we sought to do this. At least rice, oil, tin tomatoes and the likes, that should help give a family a good meal, at least on Christmas Day and beyond.”
She also urged people to share the little they have with the poor and needy in society in the spirit of Christmas.
“There is a blessing in giving and so when you give, when you lend a helping hand, I believe the Lord Himself will increase the little that you have, and so money, food, whatever it is you can give to someone to make someone celebrate the Christmas in a better way.”
The Dzata Foundation is run by Vera George, a trained CSR consultant as CEO. Kofi Owusu Nhyira (Managing Partner at Eight Geeks @ Law, a leading technology legal firm in Ghana), Nene Banahene III (Mankralo of Ningo Traditional Area and Acting President of the Ningo Traditional Council) and Bishop Raymond Acquah (Administrative Bishop of the Perez Chapel International and Head Pastor of Perez Chapel International Mataheko Branch) as Board Members.
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Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5 Fm
