By Razak Baba
More than one thousand vulnerable pupils in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality of the Ashanti Region have been enrolled unto the National Health Insurance Scheme. This was made possible by the Paramount Chief of Tepa, Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem, to mark his 60th birthday.
The initiative, sponsored by the Paramount Chief of Tepa, Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem, was intended to offer uninterrupted access and convenience to affordable quality health-care and enhance the socio-economic conditions of the people. It is also meant to maintain trust and confidence in the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Pupils below the age of 18 were registered free of charge under the NHIS during a mini-durbar at Tepa, while those whose cards had expired had them renewed without charge.
At the event, customised educational materials were also given to schools in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality of the Ashanti Region by the Paramount Chief as part of his periodic donation of educational packages to pupils to augment government and parental efforts in ensuring access and quality education.
The accomplished and widely celebrated Paramount Chief, Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem, for his compassion and father-for-all spirit, who undertook the initiatives to mark his 60th birthday, said he was touched by the barrage of economic challenges bedevilling the livelihoods of indigenes within his traditional area.
The Paramount Chief of Essumeja, also in the Ashanti Region, Nana Okyere Kusi Ntrama commended Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem for spearheading numerous infrastructure projects in his traditional area, which has made his reign enviable among Paramount Chiefs under Asanteman.
The Ashanti Regional Director of the National Health Insurance Authority, Mr. Kwadwo Dwomoh outlined some diseases that have been added to the NHIS for which children should be enrolled in the scheme.
A thanksgiving Service at the Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church at Tepa in honour of Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem was held ahead of the durbar.
Among the well-wishers were dignitaries such as Nana Okyere Kusi Ntrama, Paramount Chief of Essumeja in the Asante Bekwai Municipality of Ashanti; Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa; MP for Asunafo South, Mr. Collins Dauda; a former Local Government Minister, Mr. Akwasi Oppong-Fosu and Director-General of National Disaster Management Organisation, Nana Prempeh Agyemang.
The Presiding head of the Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Father Theophilus Acheampong Prepra, prayed for God’s direction, wisdom, health, and long life for the Paramount Chief and his elders, saying the reign of Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem has brought numerous development projects to the Tepa Traditional Area.
Highlight of the event was the cutting of the 60th Anniversary cake by Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem and presentation of a cow and an undisclosed amount of cash by the MP for North Tongue, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who happened to be the Youth Chief of Tepa, to the Paramount Chief.
