Group to renovate 'deplorable' Bekwai Infirmary

Guardians of Gray Masters Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, has offered to renovate portions of the Bekwai Central Destitute Home in the Ashanti region.

The group of professionals and the Asanteman Association in the U.S. want to renovate the clinic and recreational facility for inmates.

The proposed project was announced when leaders visited the centre to donate food and wheelchairs, toiletries, among other items to the aged.

The home was established 61-years ago to provide care to the aged and other vulnerable persons in the society.

With a capacity for 100 people, about half of its structures is either in deplorable or un-inhabitable.

Recreational center, health post, residential and dining facilities hall have their roofs ripped -off while s ick inmates are carried in taxi cabs to health facilities.

Over 30 inmates who live here and their caregivers struggle for water, electricity and even toilet facilities.

The care-givers are compelled to buy water from their own resources for use by the aged at the facility.

The facility has been cut off water supply by the Ghana Water for unpaid bills while a borehole at the centre has broken down for over two years now.

Though the Department of Social Welfare cannot readily give figures on daily or monthly expenditure on water, officials say volunteers get no refund for the purchases.

"We don't have water around. Ghana Water Company has not supplied this institution with water. Staff usually contribute some money to purchase water to bath and cook for the inmates," Bekwai Municipal Director of Social Welfare and Community Development, Patrick Nawah revealed.

"This building, the roof is almost off and this one which is the hall where we gather them to take their meals is also off. You can see the structures; they are all dilapidated. I don't even know whether we can call them structures. It is just something you cannot call structures," he lamented.

They depend solely on government's Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme and individual and corporate support for survival.

In the midst of such adversaries, local non-governmental organisation, Guardians of Gray Masters Foundation, has offered to renovate part of the home.

The foundation also organised a health screening exercise for inmates and residents of Asante Bekwai.

Executive Director for Guardians of Gray Masters, Abigail Miezah says the project will bring some life to the home.

"If you look at the environment, it is too boring. As a home for senior citizens, there should be a mini health center where they can be able to take care of their health needs. There should be a recreational center where they can come out and have fun and have some activities to make them happy; all these are not there. As a foundation, we want to try and put these measures in place. We welcome anyone who will want to help make life memorable one for the inmates."

Akwamuhene of Asanteman Association, Nana Kwaku Owusu Ntim says he is sad at the deplorable state of the home.

"It is very sad how we should neglect our elders in this kind of situation."

He wondered why Ghana with all the resources could treat the vulnerable in society this way.

"We have money to buy luxury cars but we can't afford to take care of our people. That is very sad. I am very sad and very emotional that we should neglect our elders in this kind of situation," Nana Ntim said.

---Ghana I Nhyira FM