Senya Beraku Diaspora cuts sod to construct 100-bed hospital for residents

The Senya Beraku Diaspora (SBD), made up of indigenous Senya Beraku in the Central Region living abroad, has initiated plans to construct a 100-bed capacity hospital for the community.

The estimated GH₵150 million ($25 million) community hospital is to improve health care delivery and support services to the residents, who mostly travel to Winneba and other parts of the region to seek critical health services.

Facilities at the hospital would include the Out-Patients Department (OPD), pharmacy, laboratory, scanning and X-ray units, labour and delivery wards, emergency and accident units, and two state of the art surgical theatres for obstetrics and gynaecology, maternity wards, and a mortuary.

The 100-bed ward hospital would also have other social infrastructure, including a restaurant, crèche and playgrounds for kids, and staff apartments.

Sod cutting for the community hospital

To this end, on Tuesday, August 24, the group cut sod for the commencement of the project.

The event was preceded by a fundraising ceremony to demonstrate community ownership and to shore up the amount that members of SBD are contributing towards the project.

Both programmes coincided with series of activities to mark the SBD homecoming, which coincided with the 2021 annual Akomase festival, which usually brings residents who have travelled far and wide back home.

The event was held on the theme: “mobilising resources for community development post-Covid-19: the role of the diaspora and a united community.”

The ceremony was graced with the presence of the President of Senya Traditional Council, Ipi Kwa Bentum IV, patrons of SBD, Dr Joseph Kobina  Essibu, founder of Ideal College, and Mr Dan Assibu, as well as the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Awutu Senya West, Stephen Quaye.

 

Speaking on the sidelines of the programme with The Ghana Report, the Board Chairman of SBD, Samuel Okine, said the construction of the hospital was to avert the deaths and worsening health conditions due to long-distance travels to access health.

“Many a time, you will see people being sick, and they will be rushed out of here (Senya Beraku) and die en route to Winneba or the nearby hospital, and these situations are worrying,” Mr Okine explained.

The majority of the residents engage in fishing as a source of livelihood.

He noted that for some years now, the predominant work of many parents in the community and its related activities had not been a profitable venture anymore, making it difficult for them to meet the growing needs of their families.

Due to this, many parents cannot send their wards to school, especially at the higher level of education, and cater to other socio-economic challenges.

The hospital, however, is one of many developmental projects to be undertaken by the organisation to transform the condition of the fishing community while creating a platform for jobs for the people, particularly the youth.

As such, Mr Okine stated that SBD was receiving some contributions from members of the group, which has been made an annual custom to fund projects of SBD, and called for the support of other organisations.

He also urged the public to contribute towards the construction of the health facility in the community.

We’re resolved to change the story of our community

According to the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of SBD, Kenneth Assibu Brown, there was a need for community members to unite to pursue developmental programmes after the COVID-pandemic struck.

Therefore, the goal of SBD is to ensure that it spearheads the implementation of many projects in the area of health and education while promoting the socio-cultural development of the descendants of Senya Beraku.

Mr Brown pledged the organisation’s commitment to ensuring that they change the story of the community by bringing development to the town while enhancing the socio-economic status of the people.

About SBD

The group was formed in January 2020 due to the observation made by some indigenes of Senya Beraku living abroad on the need to improve the community’s health system, which was exposed during the Covid-19.

SBD has over 360 members based in North America, Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Africa.

The group has already built Libraries, toilet facilities, and others in some areas in Senya Beraku community.