The Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, the Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, CSSp, on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, cut the sod for the construction of a children’s hospital at Atomic-Kwabenya, in Accra.
The sod-cutting ceremony supported by other dignitaries, is one of the projects the Archbishop and the Archdiocese are undertaking under the umbrella project the “Legacy of Hope” (LoH).
The January 18 sod-cutting ceremony at Atomic-Kwabenya was also witnessed by priests and religious from the Archdiocese, as well as well-wishers from far and near.
The Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Accra, Very Rev. Fr. John Kobina Louis, presenting the project review, said that the pediatric hospital which is the first of the project would cost about two million dollars, and therefore called on all to come on board to contribute their quota for the fulfillment of this good course.
Archbishop Kwofie invited all to rally behind the agenda because children were the future, stating, “Children are our future, and every child deserves a future. There is no better way to impact a child’s future positively, than in being attentive to their needs and giving to support their development.”
Archbishop Kwofie hinted that the acquisition of the parcel of land which is the very first step for the implementation of such a project has been graciously made available by the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission(GAEC), reports peacefmonline.com.
According to him, the 4acre+ land which was donated to the church have been cleared for the commencement of the Children’s hospital and expressed his profound gratitude to the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), for being generous to the church.
Speaking in an interview with Peace FM at the ceremony, the Director-General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Prof. Benjamin Jabez Botwe Nyarko stated that he was “inspired to give out the 4acre+ land to the Accra Archdiocese of the Catholic Church for their Children Hospital project because there are a lot of children dying of cancer and other diseases as a result of the lack of facilities that cater for the medical needs of children in the country noting the Paediatric hospital when completed would be for every child in Ghana”.
Rev. Fr. John Mintah Mensah, Parish Priest of the Atomic St. Patrick Catholic Church and member of Project management team, pleaded with corporate bodies, Catholic schools in the country, institutions like SSNIT, Telecommunication companies and all well-meaning Ghanaians to try to adopt a ward or department that would be named after them by way of contributing to the success of this laudable initiative.
He further hinted that, even though the main focus of the Accra Archdiocesan Paediatric hospital would be the treatment of child cancer (Oncology), the hospital is going to have all the other departments that any well-established hospital have; including nurses and doctors’ quarters.
Projects which fall under the “Legacy of Hope” projects include completion of the Youth Center, Priests’ Retirement Home, Archdiocesan Secretariat, Completion of the Catechetical Center, Catholic Cemetery, and Cathedral Restoration.
