A health centre along with a four-unit staff quarters has been inaugurated in Mepe in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region, the epicentre of the Akosombo dam spillage-induced floods.
Built by Citi Foundation with a sponsorship of GH¢1.5 million from the Ghana Chamber of Mines and donations from listeners and viewers of Citi FM/Citi TV, it will address the pressing health needs of the residents.
The centre, the first of its kind in the area, will ease the burden on residents who previously had to travel to Battor Catholic Hospital for healthcare due to the submerging of their Community Health-based Planning Services (CHPS) compounds.
It will also serve residents of the surrounding communities who were all affected by floods that destroyed hundreds of properties and rendered thousands of people homeless in October last year.
At the inauguration of the centre on Wednesday, Citi Foundation presented assorted relief items, including rice, mattresses, cooking oil, pillows, milk, gari, beans, clothes, and detergents to the people.
Addressing the elated chiefs and people, the Chief Executive Officer of Citi FM/Citi TV, Samuel Atta-Mensah, said the project was part of the relief efforts for the displaced persons from the flood.
He mentioned that the media house, having distributed food and other relief items, realised the need to help rebuild the community by providing infrastructurAL support, including resettlement structures and the health centre.
He thanked the Chamber of Mines and other sponsors for responding to the appeal for funds, which aided in the construction of the centre within two and a half months, thereby helping to save lives in the district.
The President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Joshua Mortoti, said the sponsorship was in line with the chamber’s commitment to using its resources to touch the lives of many beyond their mining communities.
He stated, “The Chamber recognises the importance of investing in the health and welfare of our people and communities. We recognise that sustainable development goes beyond economic prosperity; it encompasses the holistic well-being of every individual. This health facility stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to that belief.”
In continuation of this support, Mr Mortoti said the chamber would collaborate with other stakeholders to equip the centre with modern hospital accessories.
He also announced financial support of GH¢400, 000 towards the construction of a 10-unit toilet facility for the people of Mepe.
The District Chief Executive, Divine Fenu, said the facility would complement resettlement projects being undertaken by the government in the area, including toilet facilities.
He pledged to ensure that the centre is maintained to serve its purpose.
The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the health centre would significantly boost healthcare delivery and alleviate the plight of the people of Mepe.
He appreciated the donors and promised to help resource and sustain the medical centre to serve thousands of people in the district who had longed for a life-saving opportunity.
The District Health Director of North Tongu, Michael Zigah, noted that the health centre would go a long way in advancing healthcare accessibility in the area and beyond.
In separate speeches, the Manklalo of the Mepe Traditional Area, Torgbe Kosi Nego VI, and the Chairman of the Mepe Development Association, Mawulenu Fabian, expressed gratitude to the donors for coming to the aid of the community and appealed for more support.
FROM JONATHAN DONKOR, MEPE