Not long ago, NDC propagandists were all over the place claiming over one million fire tenders have been procured by the government, and that, fire outbreaks were going to be banished from Ghana.
However, a fire outbreak which started at the central medical stores in Tema, where i used to go for supplies as a newly qualified medical Radiological technician and head of Radiology Department of the Tema General hospital in early 90s, has been raging for over 36hrs now
And latest information coming-in has it that fire officers trying to quench the inferno have been advised by a medical officer to leave abandon their futile venture because protective gears to enable them fight the fire without being exposed to dangerous fumes have completely run-out.so as we speak, the fire is raging but the fire-fighters have left the premises!!!
Strangely, information has it that over $100m of supplies that had been imported by the ministry of health under the tenure of Sherry Ayitey, and have been found to be of inferior quality with others completely expired, were being stored at this facility and an investigation was said to have been launched into the whole matter. As a matter of fact, some items like boxes of Hypodermic Syringes and Dextrose Infusions found in the wreckage of the raging inferno have expiry dates of 2012 and 2008, respectively!!!
Indeed, this is a gargantuan national disaster caused by naked corruption and crass ineptitude on the part of government, and a state agency, NADMO which is supposed to be leading the operation to tackle such a monstrous disaster is being headed by current NDC national chairman Kofi Portuphy and a vice chair-person Anita De-sosoo, who, according to laws of Ghana, should have resigned from their political appointments before contesting for party positions.
Over $400m worth of medical supplies procured with Ghanaian tax-payers' cash has virtually gone up in-flames in unquenchable raging inferno and this is raising a lot of hairs and setting an equally huge numbers of tongues wagging. I have also heard the minster for Interior, Mark Woyongo claiming an investigation is going to be instituted into the mystery surrounding this inferno but i know its all a gargantuan joke!!!
Justice Abeeku Newton-Offei E-mail: justnoff#yahoo.com
