Ghanaian citizens who distinguished themselves in the fight against the novel coronavirus disease were on Tuesday honoured by the state in Accra.
Health workers from all 16 regions who put their lives on the line to protect the Ghanaian public against the deadly coronavirus were recognized for their dedication at the 2023 National Honours and Awards ceremony.
Faith-based institutions, corporate bodies, manufacturers, international bodies and government institutions that played various roles to support the government to fight the disease were also honoured.
The Church of Pentecost, the Office of the Chief Imam, the Christian Council of Ghana World Health Organisation (WHO) Ghana Health Service (GHS) the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the Republic of Korea, amongst others were honoured.
Receiving the Order of the Volta were members of the technical and legal team that delivered victory for Ghana in the maritime dispute against the Ivory Coast at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. (ITLOS). Members of the National Covid-19 Task Force and Trustees of the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund also received this award, which is the highest of the land.
Addressing the audience at the ceremony, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo stated that he was performing a purely ceremonial function as a Head of State and not a Head of Government.
He touted the efforts the government had put to protect the citizens against the coronavirus, indicating that additional 58,000 health workers were recruited to help fight the disease.
“Ghana and South Korea were adjudged countries that undertook the best management practices, in the world,” he said.
To the men and women who dedicated themselves to the service of the nation, he said, “Ghana is indeed indebted to you.”
Bala Ali, ISD
