In response to a request from the Western Regional House of Chiefs, the Coastal Development Authority (CODA) on Thursday, 2nd July, 2020 broke ground for the commencement of construction works for an Accident Management Centre (Trauma Center) at Apimanim in the Ahanta West Constituency.

The new facility is being funded under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) of the Ministry of Special Development Initiatives (MSDI) and is designed to be equipped and staffed to provide care for patients suffering from major traumatic injuries including car crash injuries, gunshot wounds, falls, burns, and others.

Present at the ground-breaking ceremony were the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CODA, Lawyer Jerry Ahmed Shaib; Deputy Western Regional Minister; Eugenia Gifty Kusi; Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Ahanta West Municipal Assembly, Henrietta Mary Eyison; MP for Ahanta West Constituency, Ebenezer Kojo Kum; Paramount Chief of Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area, Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II; Paramount Chief of Dixcove, Nana Agyeman and other traditional leaders and residents of Ahanta West.

On behalf of the Western Regional Minister, the Deputy Western Regional Minister thanked CODA for approving the project. She also commended the Regional House of Chiefs for their timely support and commitment to development. Mr Kusi stated that President Akufo-Addo is known to be a man of his word and construction of the trauma centre is proof of that.

Trauma Centre

The construction of the Accident Management Centre will cost GHS7.2 million and is expected to be completed within 6 calendar months. The facility will have the following spaces to enable it function efficiently:

Waiting area, reception area, nurses bay, resuscitation area, stretcher bay, triage ward, plaster room, staff restroom, minor theatre, pharmacy, doctor’s restroom, staff mess, changing room, services room, clean/dirty utility rooms, administration, scrub up gowning room, stores, staff and patients lavatory.

When completed, the Centre will serve the emergency health needs of the Western Region and surrounding communities.

Exemplary Traditional Leadership

During a needs assessment by CODA, the Western Regional House of Chiefs made a request for a Regional health facility. They also went further to release land for the project without any strings attached. This, according to the CEO of CODA was a vital input that gave impetus to the selection and approval of this particular project. He stated, “the proactive leadership of Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyim II and the Western Regional House of Chiefs is noteworthy, Nananom have demonstrated their love for their people and their commitment to development”. Lawyer Jerry Ahmed Shaib averred that the new facility is in fulfillment of assurances made by HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to ensure accelerated economic and social development of Ahanta West.

Lawyer Jerry Ahmed Shaib encouraged traders to form unions to enable them qualify for financial support from the CODA Credit Union which is designed to provide microcredit facilities to the informal sector at negligible interest rates.

IPEP in Ahanta West

Touching on other ongoing IPEP funded interventions in Ahanta West Constituency, the CEO requested the Municipal Chief Executive of Ahanta West to implore traders at the Apowa Market to temporarily relocate to a designated space to make way for the construction of a modern market with 40 open stalls, store room and external works including paving of ground. He assured that no trader will lose their space upon completion of the market.

CODA is also constructing a Youth Center Complex at Agona Nkwanta to provide a suitable environment where young people can meet and participate in a variety of activities for their socialization and development for the future.

Construction is also ongoing for a footbridge to connect Akwidaa Old Town and New Town as part of efforts to facilitate movement of people, goods and services between the two towns.

To promote literacy education, CODA is constructing a modern ICT Library at Dixcove fully fitted with books and a ICT lab to serve the educational development needs of Ahanta West Constituency.

All the projects are being funded under the one million dollars per constituency programme of the government, otherwise known as IPEP.