2024 Poppy Appeal launched in Accra
The 2024 Poppy Appeal has been launched in Accra, with a call on the state to invest in the welfare of veterans.
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The Poppy Appeal is an annual event held to commemorate the death of all those who sacrificed their lives in the quest for world peace.
The fundraising initiative aims to support the war veterans and their families. This year’s launch was fused with a military band concert.
Anniversary
The event marked the 106th anniversary of the end of the First World War, and served as a prelude to the annual Remembrance Day on November 11.
It was attended by the Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul; the Chief of the Defence Staff, Major General Thomas Oppong-Peprah; representatives of security services, and both serving and retired military personnel.
Against the backdrop of music from the Ghana Armed Forces Band, the occasion aimed to raise funds through the sale of the poppy for the enhancement of veterans' welfare, especially their health.
The Minister of Health, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, who launched the Poppy Appeal, emphasised the need for public appreciation of veterans' sacrifices.
He stressed that veterans' sacrifices did not end with their service in the wars, saying many continued to contribute to Ghana's stability.
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Support
Dr Okoe Boye called on the public, businesses and philanthropists to support VAG.
He stressed the need for more initiatives to generate income for veterans and the importance of public education on the significance of the poppy and veterans' contributions.
"I respectfully encourage the Veterans Administration, Ghana, which has been legally empowered to attend to the welfare needs of veterans, to intensify its public education to sensitise the Ghanaian population," he said.
The minister pledged to allocate an ambulance and GH¢100,000 to the VAG Clinic.
He also announced the ministry's plans to provide modern diagnostic and therapeutic equipment to support the clinic's operations. Dr Okoe Boye called on the public to contribute to improve the clinic's facilities to ease the burden on the 37 Military Hospital.
"The facility needs more support in various forms to make it fully functional and convenient for use by veterans and their families, as well as the nearby public," he said.
He expressed the hope for continued progress in veterans' welfare and the nation's development.
Concerns
The Executive Director of the Veterans Administration, Ghana (VAG), Captain Ben Edmund Duah (retd), urged the government to address the plight of veterans who had not received pensions for their service during the PNDC era.
"Despite all the success stories, there are some two problems that keep haunting VAG,” he said.
Captain Duah further appealed to the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces Council to find a permanent solution to the concerns of the retired military officers.
Peace
Both Dr Okoe Boye and Captain Duah advocated peace as Ghana approaches the presidential and parliamentary elections. They underscored the critical role of peace and tolerance in ensuring national stability and development.