Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has commissioned the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre promoted and sponsored by the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund at a ceremony in Accra.

In a speech before cutting the sod to symbolically open the facility, Dr. Bawumia hailed the remarkable display of patriotism by individuals and corporate organisations, who contributed in cash and in kind towards the construction of Ghana’s first infectious disease centre, located at the Ga East Municipal Hospital.

The construction of the facility was initiated by the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund in response to government’s call for public support to help contain the Coronavirus crisis.

In his speech, Dr. Bawumia said despite the ravaging effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, it has also brought the patriotism of many Ghanaians to the fore.

“The public health crisis mobilized a patriotic consensus on the collective need to contain and treat infectious diseases,” he said. “The President’s rallying call for national cohesion ignited patriotism. And the private sector response is what today’s event represents, demonstrating once again that once we put our minds to it, we will soon discover that we are our own builders and beneficiaries of the Ghana we want.”

 

The Vice President, who described the commissioning  ceremony as “a celebration of Ghanaian ingenuity and patriotism,” paid glowing tribute to all those who contributed to making the construction of the facility possible in record time.

“Today is a celebration of Ghanaian ingenuity and patriotism and a dedication to humanity by a team of men and women, 536 strong, working 24 hours a day to make the impossible a reality. We are here because of you and Ghana must know you,” the Vice President said.

“It is rare to find a group of of civilian professionals work in close quarters and on strict timelines, working 24 hours, non-stop with members of the Ghana Armed Forces in their unbending discipline and demand for precision in a flat chain of command.”

One of the Trustees of the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund, Eddie Effah, described the construction of the facility as “an amazing and challenging journey”.

He expressed gratitude to the Ghana Armed Forces for making some of its best engineering and construction minds available to help build the centre.

“The discipline and dedication of the Military working in tandem with civilian consultants day and night was such a beauty. The success of this project shows what we can achieve with a healthy collaboration between the Public and Private Sector. Both must constantly collaborate, complimenting each other to deliver value to the people of Ghana,” Mr. Effah said. “Delivering this modern edifice in a record time and at these critical time in our country’s history must be celebrated but more importantly, its inherent lessons learnt for posterity and replication in varied sectors of the economy for the advancement of Ghana. The private sector and public sector must continue to collaborate to deliver compelling value to the good people of Ghana.”

Managing Trustee of the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund, Senyo Hosi, commended and expressed gratitude to all the individuals and corporate organizations who contributed in cash and in kind to the successful completion of the projected, estimated to have cost about

7.5 million US dollars.

“Special mention ought to be made of our largest donors: Bank of Ghana, the Ghana Association of Bankers, the COVID-19 National Trust Fund, GNPC, Fidelity Bank, Ecobank, Ghana National Gas Company, CH Group, Legend & Glass Aluminium Systems and Tropical Cable and Conductors Limited,” Mr. Hosi said. “We also grateful to our gold, silver, bronze and patriotic citizen donors whose names shall be etched on the hearts of many who shall benefit from their generosity. You believed in us when many bundied doubts. Ghana shall eternally be grateful.”

Mr. Hosi added: “What we witness today is evidence of what we can do by doing the seemingly impossible. In this case, we have made it possible by depending on our own people. Ghana can only be truly developed by its people. Let us believe in ourselves, invest right in our people, availing more opportunities to our professionals and as Ghanaians, aspire to excel beyond the limitations of our environment.”

The event was attended by the top brass of the Ghana Armed Forces as well as the Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul and deputy Health Minister, Dr. Okoe Boye. Also in attendance were trustees of the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund and several other dignitaries including the Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. K. K. Sarpong and the chairman of the NPP, Freddie Blay.

The Ghana Covid-19 Fund has declared its intention to raise more funds to construct similar infectious disease centres in Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale.