A Real estate developer has pledged one of his premier properties on Oxford Street to be used as a quarantine location, isolation centre or a temporary hospital.
Nana Kwame Bediako also known as ‘Freedom Jacob Caesar’ said his 5-star luxury serviced apartment hotel is up on offer as a safe place for nurses, doctors and other medical personnel should the need arise in the country’s battle against the spread of coronavirus.
Mr Bediako is the founder of the Kwarleyz Group, an umbrella company which encompasses Wonda World Estates, Petronia City Development, New Africa Construction, and Belfast City & Property Management.
“We are hoping that the disease does not affect more people in Ghana. But should the need arise, we are preparing to work with government and health organizations to utilize No 1 Oxford Street Hotel and Suites as a centre to house victims and/or medical personnel.
“We invested over $50 million to complete No 1 Oxford Street which recently opened in January but I am moved to offer the property to be used for good, to help my people during this critical time,” Mr Bediako said.
His offer comes at a time when the leader of the Titi-Ofei Ministries has withdrawn his offer of a 100-bed capacity to be used as an isolation centre for Covid-19 patients.
Bishop Gideon Titi-Ofei’s neighbours protested his offering of the facility in Tema-West who say they were not consulted on the decision.
The residents expressed concern that the disease being fought is highly contagious and using the facility which is not isolated an isolation centre could expose residents to the dreaded pandemic.
Reacting to the developments, the Bishop said he would look at other options of helping fight the new coronavirus.
In another development, industrialist and hospitality giant, Nana Kwame Bediako is urging well-to-do individuals and philanthropists to support the poor and vulnerable.
With extremely limited availability of social services in the country, local communities in Ghana have had to rely on the generosity of individuals, churches and businesses for basic necessities in preparation for the lockdown, which started on Monday, March 30.
On Sunday with less than 24 hours before the lockdown in Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Kasoa began, Freedom along with his team, visited four of Accra’s poorest neighbourhoods.
They distributed food and other essential supplies such as cooking oil, tomato paste, canned goods, and drinking water to over a thousand poor and vulnerable families.
“The pandemic is having a devastating impact on communities around the world–physically, financially as well as psychologically.
“People are becoming more fearful by the day especially the low wage earners, street hawkers, waiters, and others who have no one to turn to for help to feed their families during this 14-day lockdown,” the businessman said.
Freedom, whose charitable initiatives also include the New Africa Philanthropic Foundation and work with Opportunity International added, “As much as they need food and water, they also need hope. Through my efforts, I wanted to let them know that they are not forgotten. That no matter what happens, there are people like me, from their own community who care and will always be there for them and that help does not have to always come from outside.”
Source: Abubakar Ibrahim
