Minister of Health designate, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, has pledged to use all the proceeds from the auctioning of his book “Fellow Ghanaians” to build wards at a hospital in the Nkoranza Municipality of the Bono East Region and Lekma Hospital in the Greater Accra region.
The “Fellow Ghanaians” book provides a detailed account of how Ghana handled the COVID-19 pandemic using the “whole of government and whole of society” approach.
It recounts the discovery of the virus in Ghana and the swift crafting, adoption, and implementation of measures to contain its spread.
The book also details the imposition of some restrictions, the acquisition of vaccines and their administration, and the easing of the restrictions by the Ghanaian authorities.
The first copy of the “Fellow Ghanaians” book was launched by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in Accra and was bought at GH¢1 million by Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong of Jospong Group, with Tobinco Group and another individual who wished to remain anonymous buying the second and third copies GH¢500,000 each.
The Chief of Staff, on behalf of President Akufo-Addo, bought the fourth copy at GH¢200,000, with the rest of the books being auctioned for prices ranging between GH¢10,000 and GH¢1,000.
Dr. Okoe Boye indicated that, as a member of the COVID-19 response team, he believed it was important to document the journey in a book which has made Ghana the sole country to have done so.
“This book was written absolutely out of an effort to tell our story ourselves, to honor the memory of those we lost, and to acknowledge the courage of the nation’s leader in those perilous times. There is no commercial intent behind it; in pursuit of this position, all inflows from this auction and sales of this book will go to the building of health facilities in Nkoranza in the Bono East Region as well as the Lekma Hospital in the Greater Accra region” he stated.
President Akufo-Addo, in his speech said, “Fellow Ghanaians” is not merely a title phrase but a powerful symbol of the unity that binds us together as a nation and applauded Dr. Okoe Boye for writing such a book, which will serve as a reminder for future generations regarding how Ghana faced the COVID-19 Pandemic.
“The title of the book by one of the exceptional young appointees in my government is truly humbling. It is the testament of the resilience and strength of the Ghanaian spirit, even in the face of unprecedented challenges. It is the tribute of the complex acts of kindness, courage, and sacrifice that define our response to the pandemic. But beyond its significance to me personally, ‘Fellow Ghanaians’ represents something much greater; it is the symbol of hope and inspiration for future generations, a reminder that even in our darkest times, we can find light and strength in our unity.”
The President stressed, “As we reflect on the pages of this book and the account it contains, let us remember the lessons we have learned and the progress we have made; let us commit ourselves to the values that bind us together as Ghanaians — compassion, resilience, and solidarity.”
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