The past month or so has been quite a busy one for me, spent almost in its entirety in Kumasi.
I had been given the responsibility of leading a committee to plan this year’s Opoku Ware School alumni ball, instituted back in 2017 and held every Farmers’ Day.
It was a parting shot of sorts, because I had earlier decided not to seek re-election as vice-president of the fraternity.
Stepping down came with its own bittersweet memories of the past ten years, first as secretary and then as vice president.
But I had no intention of being crowned the ‘Mugabe’ of the Akatakyie fraternity.
My muscles continue to ache, my waist and knee joints feel creaky, and my legs feel like lead weights three days after the event ‒ perhaps a poignant reminder that I am no longer a spring chicken and should avoid pounding the dance floor trying to match my energetic juniors until the wee hours.
Alumni twist
This year, we decided that the event was going to be more than the usual breaking of bread, dancing, making merry and fraternising.
Some participants in the event
Like many other second-cycle alumni groups up and down the land, our emphasis over the years has been on supporting our alma mater, particularly in terms of infrastructure and also to support teaching and learning.
In addition to this, we believed it was time to look beyond the school walls and help make a difference out there.
After some considerable deliberations at the leadership level, we settled on billing the event as a fundraiser in support of Otumfuo Asantehene’s much-acclaimed ‘Heal Komfo Anokye’ project, which aims to raise $10m to rehabilitate and renovate the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, the nation’s second largest teaching hospital.
This was one of the Asante monarch’s 25th anniversary legacy projects and was launched in 2023.
Of course, we were mindful of the fact that our school was named after the second Asantehene, Katakyie Nana Opoku Ware, and that the land for the construction of the school in 1952 was graciously granted by Asanteman during the reign of Asantehene Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyemang Prempeh II.
How could we sit aloof whilst their illustrious descendant pursued such a noble project to help improve healthcare delivery for our collective good?
Project background, scope of works
Constructed 70 years ago in 1955 and popularly known as ‘Gee’ (after the contractors, Messrs Gee Walter & Slaters), the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi has, over the years, remained the sole tertiary health care provider for the people of Ashanti Region and beyond.
Accessed by patients from 12 out of the 16 regions of Ghana by virtue of its strategic location, the hospital had regrettably never undergone any comprehensive renovation, in spite of the intensive use of its facilities since the commencement of its operations in 1955.
To forestall possible catastrophic infrastructure failure at the hospital, the Asantehene fully committed himself to the comprehensive renovation of the blocks to transform them into modern facilities for improved specialist patient care.
A technical and financial proposal developed by the Heal Komfo Anokye Project team, a volunteer group of experts from the fields of medicine, real estate, development, engineering and architecture, among others, put the cost of the project at $10 million.
Fortunately, I have never had to seek healthcare at the hospital or visit another person there. But watching some video clips of the state of GEE sank my heart ‒ the cracked walls sprouting mould, rusted beds, worn-out roofs, broken toilets, exposed and outdated plumbing systems and many more.
How can patients receive healing in such deplorable conditions? How can healthcare workers function effectively in such filth? Clearly, this centre of healing has itself fallen sick and needs urgent healing.
The scope of the rehabilitation and renovation project includes upgrading of facilities and infrastructure in the wards ‒ lighting, ventilation and sanitation, as well as enhancing patient privacy through well-partitioned wards, and the improvement of working conditions of healthcare staff by providing adequate equipment and facilities for storage and rest, among many others.
The artists’ impressions of the rehabilitated facilities are very impressive indeed.
Glittering affair
By all accounts, the black-tie event was a huge success and was made possible, thanks in large part to our lead sponsors, FirstBank Ghana Ltd. We were particularly fortunate to have with us two distinguished Akatakyie, who are directly connected with the project.
Kat. Prof. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei Woahene II (G8), Ofumfuo Hiahene, the globally recognised orthopaedic surgeon of FOCOS hospital fame, Chairman of the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation and a member of the KATH project team, graciously chaired the event.
Kat. Nana Yim Ababio (AP362) Toasehene and Director of Finance at KATH, was also present, as were so many other Akatakyie of varying backgrounds.
The CEO of the hospital, Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo, was also in attendance, along with Mr Samuel Adu Boakye, chairman of the project.
Our young ones were not left out, including our finalists at this year’s National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ), who were honoured for their efforts, as well as Kat. Opoku Ware Otuo Serebuor (BV863), who recently literally broke the internet for emerging as the valedictorian for KNUST’s College of Engineering this year, despite having read General Arts in his time at Opoku Ware School.
By the end of the evening, we had raised GH¢315,870 out of a target of GH¢500,000 over a three-month window.
This, by all means, was remarkable and has been worth the hard work and running around.
A lot more has been pledged following the event, and I do not doubt in my mind that we will easily hit the target.
Ultimately, I believe that Otumfuo’s incredibly powerful brand will help raise the much-needed funds for GEE’s rehabilitation.
On a personal note, I will continue to party hard whenever the opportunity presents itself, especially in Kumasi.
After all, in future, if my waist ‘locks’ in the process and I am carted off to GEE, wincing in pain, I am sure I can be assured of a comfortable bed in an ultra-modern private ward with soft lighting and excellent furnishing.
May God heal GEE to help her heal our fellow citizens.
Rodney Nkrumah-Boateng.
E-mail:rodboat@yahoo.com
#Healing #Komfo #Anokye #Akatakyie #style
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