Covid-19: CBOD Donates GH¢100,000 To KCCR To Support Testing

The Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD) on Wednesday, April 1, 2020, made a donation of GH¢100,000 to the Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research (KCCR) to support testing of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19).

The gesture which is part of efforts by the CBOD to support the government in the fight against the spread of the disease was done via a video conferencing call as they adhere to the social distancing directive advised by the government and the health experts.

CBOD Chairman and CEO of Cirrus Oil Services Ltd, Ivy Apea Owusu, made the donation on behalf of the Board and Management of CBOD while its Head of Finance and Industry Operations, Richard Kissi, assured that the amount would be immediately paid into the designated KCCR account.

“The Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research (KCCR) has indeed been at the forefront of this fight since the first few Covid-19 cases broke out in Ghana. As the Health minister mentioned in the press briefing this morning, KCCR has already conducted approximately 335 tests covering the middle and northern parts of the country and that means there is a lot of pressure on the center’s resources”, the CBOD CEO said over the video conference.

She added, “We are therefore pleased to donate one hundred thousand Ghana cedis (GHS100,000) to KCCR towards the acquisition of sampling and testing items which we understand are of pressing need to the center at the moment.”

Director of KCCR Prof. Richard Phillips expressed gratitude to the CBOD on behalf of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the KCCR while adding that more resources are needed with the rising number of Covid-19 cases.

“On behalf of the KCCR board Chairman Prof. J.S.K Ayim and the Vice-Chancellor of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Prof. Kwasi Obiri-Danso and the KCCR family, I wish to express my profound gratitude for this generous gift of GH¢100,000 from the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors. This support will help KCCR improve and upscale testing of Covid-19 in Ghana. And as you know laboratory confirmation is key in the control strategy for Covid-19,” he said.

Prof. Phillips said the donation would make it possible for the centre to process 300 patients’ samples in 24 hours.

He added, he was excited the donation was done over the internet.

Mrs. Apea Owusu shared similar sentiments, saying the virtual donation ensured strict observance of social distancing.

“At least one thing about the current crisis is that it has pushed us to innovate and here we are doing this donation virtually; the very first digital donation that I personally have ever witnessed or been part of. I believe it is also a prudent and creative way of maintaining social distancing protocols.”

Madam Apea Owusu thanked the KNUST, the KCCR, and all the medical practitioners, health officials and frontline staff in the fight against Covid19.