The STAR-Ghana Foundation (SGF) has launched programme of activities to mark five years of its existence and achievements.
The launch, held in Accra and Tamale, was on the theme: "5 Years of Promoting Active Citizenship and Local Philanthropy for Inclusive Development."
Speaking at the launch in Accra, Chairperson of SGF Governing Council, Dr Esther Ofei-Aboagye, said the past five years have been chalked with successes, lessons learned for them and a clearer sense of direction of the organisation.
She noted that they were able to accomplish all these through the resilience and guidance of their subscribers, both in their individual and collective capacities.
As means to promote the mobilisation of local resources, Dr Ofei-Aboagye stated that SGF was actively exploring the notion of volunteerism, saying "the various forms of it include linking smaller citizens groups and interest-based bodies to experienced persons with critical expert knowledge; and perhaps, younger persons to assist in filling crucial gaps.
"We have undertaken an institutional review and strengthening exercise, with a view to charting the course for the way into the future and embodying this in our new Strategic Plan from 2024 to 2029.
The independent reviewer found out that over the five years, the Foundation has made good progress in establishing itself as a viable organisation and relevant player in the Ghanaian civil society space. SGF did not turn out to be the competitor or overbearing impediment some CSOs had feared," she highlighted.
Addressing partners, she asserted that they had forged a good relationship with key government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), European Union, Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), the Danish International Development Agency, Department for International Development and the International Organisation on Migration.
"Support from FCDO has continued for the Gender Rights and Empowerment Project and the Security in Northern Ghana Project. FCDO is also contributing to Civil Society Support Programme through Comic Relief, which SGF is implementing with the West African Civil Society Institute (WACSI)," she said.
The Executive Director of SGF, Alhaji Amidu Ibrahim-Tanko, in his remarks noted that marking the 5th anniversary was to also remind them of the commitment they have made to the vision of SGF and how far they have come.
Professor Akilagpa Sawyerr, a Subscriber of SGF, who spoke on behalf of the Subscribers, said SGF was not an idea that the subscribers simply said they wanted to do, rather, they spent years discussing, debating, challenging, proposing and opposing issues on how they wanted it to be done.
The Executive Director of the STAR-Ghana Foundation, Mr Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, at the launch in Tamale last Tuesday said the rationale for the establishment of the Foundation was the need for a mechanism to help improve the quality of civil society coordination.
He said these was also to go a long way to interface with state and non-state actors in order to strengthen the sustainability and effectiveness of the civil society sector.
Mr Amidu stated that the STAR-Ghana Foundation was a national centre for active citizenship and philanthropy who registered as an independent Ghanaian Civil Society Organisation (CSO) in November 2018.
He added that the significance of the foundation milestone also lies in the lessons the Foundation's journey holds for the strengthening and sustainability of the civil society sector in Ghana, and in particularly Africa as a whole, given that its transition was the first of its kind in Ghana and the 3rd in Anglophone Africa.
The Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu, thanked STAR-Ghana Foundation for the support given to the five Regional Coordinating Councils of the Northern Ghana.
He said STAR-Ghana Foundation over the years played a major role in generating momentum in key national issues that had impacted positively, especially in the developmental stride of Northern Ghana.
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"The biggest achievement is the revival of the Mole Series now the Northern Ghana Development Summit, which was spearheaded by STAR-Ghana Foundation and witnessed a very strong collaboration with the Regional Coordinating Councils and the Northern Development Agency (NDA).
The minister also commended the Foundation for bringing Northern Regional Security Council (RESEC) closely to the Peace Council to work towards sustaining peace in the region.
Alhaji Shaibu, however, called for more collaboration from the Foundation to support and strengthen more civil society organisations and the government programmes across the country.
The activities of the anniversary celebrations are slated for September 5 to November 23 with events such as film documentary, speakers breakfast, launch of volunteering programme, annual general meeting and public lecture.
