6-point summary of why residents opposed Bishop Titi-Ofei’s coronavirus isolation centre offer

The leader of the Titi-Ofei Ministries, Bishop Gideon Titi-Ofei has withdrawn his offer of a 100-bed facility to be used as an isolation centre for persons affected by the Coronavirus following a massive protest by residents – a development that has engendered conversation as to whether or not the posture of the residents was warranted.

Reports suggested some residents of the Tema-West enclave objected to the usage of the place for the proposed purpose with reasons they were not consulted on the issue and feared they would be exposed to the deadly pandemic considering it is in close proximity to their buildings.

A Facebook post by legal practitioner Sammy Darko has detailed the concerns as expressed by residents. Aside the coronavirus scare, residents are concerned about sanitation.

Below is Sammy Darko’s full post:

This matter has brought me out because someone close to me will be affected:

Yesterday, Bishop Gideon Titi-Ofei announced to the world that he has donated his school facility located around DSTV junction in Baatsonaa to gov’t to be used as an isolation centre.

He got applause and commendation from many on social media and many who heard his gesture. But whiles the rest of the country were happy and singing his praises, residents of the residential area where the property is located were agitated.

This morning, as the Bishop came to the facility to collect some furniture and other left overs, he was confronted by angry residents- the area has some notable politicians and security personnel. One minister in his anger asked him why of all his houses, he will donate this one and not the one he and his family live in? I am told the Bishop was surprised at such a question.

The summary of the concerns of the residents are that;

1. They have had cause to report to the Tema West Municipal assembly about the deplorable nature of the sewage system of the facility and have witnessed on several occasions when the facility was in used as a school that, faecal matter were discharged into the gutter. That all fluids from the facility also passes through the same gutter from the facility.

2. That the gutter itself has also been blocked by another developer along the stretch of the facility with chipping and sand. This means for a while now all fluids and faecal matter from houses along that gutter is now spilling unto the street. Which also means should the facility be used all the fluids will end up at where the contractor has blocked the gutter.

3. There are too many squatters and children who play around especially the children of squatters like to play in the gutters.

4. That an isolation or quarantine center is also meant to be a containment centre so if its sewage network is a mess, it exposes the community to higher and more concentrated risk especially with the children.

5. That the facility is like a boarding school with shared toilets and restrooms- how will covid-19 patients cope.

6. The residents are totally rejecting the use of such facility and insist that before it may be used if authorities still deem it fit to ignore their warnings, they must be consulted and assured about safety measures being put in place especially to deal with the sewage and blocked gutters.

7. Whilst these are emergency times and we need to improvise, we should be careful not to embrace cures that are worse than the disease. The Health Facilities Regulatory Agency still needs to be consulted to conduct inspections and engage in community consultations before designating non-purpose built facilities in residential neighbourhoods as isolation centres.

8. There's a reason why in most countries these centers have been located far away from residential centres. You don't want to create a mass contamination situation and accelerate community transmission.