MTN Ghana has launched an initiative dubbed: “MTN CARES”, aimed at undertaking various community and environmental awareness activities.
The “MTN CARES” is a Group wide initiative for all MTN operating countries, to demonstrate the organization’s commitment to checking the
growing neglect of the environment as well as address the malaria disease.
A statement issued by Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, Acting Corporate Services Executive, and copied GNA on Thursday in Accra, said the initiative was a three-month campaign to focus on: Cleanliness and Malaria Awareness, Energy
Efficiency and 21 Days of Y’ello Care with emphasis on reforestation.
It said the campaign would ensure that MTN embarked on malaria awareness creation and the need to maintain a clean environment.
In line with this, the statement said, MTN Ghana would be partnering with the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) in a health walk to mark this year’s Malaria Day.
“There will be screening and treatment of malaria disease as well as distribution and hanging of insecticides treated mosquito nets in and around Nima, a suburb of Accra,” it said.
The statement said, according to the NMPC, Africa accounts for about 90 per cent of global Malaria deaths and children less than five years were most vulnerable as about 85 per cent of malaria deaths occur among them.
It explained that MTN’s contribution to fighting malaria has received global endorsement, its contribution to the United Against Malaria (UAM) campaign as part of its sponsorship of the 2010 FIFA World Cup was acknowledged by the
United Nations.
“MTN was also adjudged by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre as the Best Corporate Social Responsibility Company in Ghana for 2009,” it said.
In improving energy efficiency, it said there would be an internal campaign to encourage MTN staff to consciously adapt measures to use energy efficiently both in the office and in their homes.
The statement announced that the month of June was 21 days of Y’ello Care Challenge, where MTN staff in all the 21 operating countries would embark on projects aimed at improving the communities they serve and the focus on this
year’s Y’ello Care will be on reforestation.
Mr. Robert Kuzoe, Executive Secretary of the MTN Ghana Foundation, said MTN as a corporate organization believes in using sustainable innovative initiatives to help protect the environment against climate change and diseases
such as malaria.
He also called on other corporate organizations to emulate MTN’s action by adopting similar measures to protect the environment.
MTN is a global telecommunications group, operating in 21 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.