Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah joined by MCE Elijah Adansi
Bonah for commissioning.

 A GH¢1.6m two-storey health centre in the Obuasi Central of Ashanti has been commissioned.

It is to replace the defunct Jemi­ma Maternity Home which provided healthcare services to traders in the Obuasi Central business dis­trict and neighbouring areas.

It has an out-patient depart­ment, two consulting rooms, pharmacy, store, female, male and maternity wards, washrooms, laboratory, counselling unit, an office and a bedroom flat nurses accommodation, etc.

The project was constructed by the Obuasi Municipal Assem­bly with funds from the mineral royalties.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Simon Osei Mensah, Ashanti Regional Minister, commended the Obuasi Municipal Assembly for putting its share of the mineral royalties into productive use.

He said prior to 2017, the Ashanti Region was rated low in the pecking order in terms of national health infrastructure but due to the efforts of the gov­ernment, the region has witnessed a significant improvement in health facilities.

The Minister mentioned that the government has so far completed a number of health facilities it inherit­ed. These include the Konongo, Tepa, Bekwai, Fomena, Kumawu and Sawua hospitals.

Mr Mensah listed plethora of health facilities the government has initiated and completed, including the Amansie West, Drobonso and Suame Municipal Polyclinics as well as the Twedie and Ahafo Ano South, East hospitals.

He said the government, through various interventions in the health centre, has demonstrated its willing­ness to support the health care needs of the people to have a healthy society.

According to the Chief Executive of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, Elijah Adansi-Bonah, the construc­tion of the health facility lends cre­dence to the Assembly’s judicious use of mineral royalties contrary to reports issued by the Centre for Democratic Development on the impact of gold mining royalties on development projects in some min­ing districts.

Mr Adansi-Bonah mentioned the Kokoteasua Experimental School building and Sanso nurses quarters as other projects that were funded through the Assembly’s share of the mineral royalties.

Mr Martin Safo Osei, the Munic­ipal Health Director, lauded the efforts of the Assembly in putting up the facility furnished with qual­ity equipment which would further enhance effective health care de­livery in the Obuasi Municipality.

 From Kingsley E.Hope, Obuasi