Gethsemane Methodist builds hostel for students
A hostel mainly for students in Dansoman and its surrounding communities in Accra has been inaugurated.
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Built by the Gethsemane Methodist Church in Accra at the cost of GH¢785, 000, the facility is to complement government’s effort to provide accommodation for students, particularly those at the Medical School and trainee nurses who are unable to secure accommodation in their respective schools.
It is also expected to host students from the Methodist and Central universities as well as people who visit the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for medical services.
The three-storey, 19-bedroom facility has studies, a kitchen, dining halls, ironing and common halls. It is expected to host about 80 people.
It also has a reception, an accounts and administration offices.
Partnership with government
Speaking to the Daily Graphic at the official opening of the facility in Accra, the Bishop of the Accra Diocese of the church, Rt Rev. Titus K. Awotwe Pratt, said the church had always the been in partnership with the government in bringing development to its people.
He said the church’s contribution had been known over the years in the area of health, education and agriculture.
“Currently, one of the challenges facing the country is accommodation and this project is made to eradicate the hardship most students in this area face, especially those in the medical school,” he said.
Rev. Awotwe Pratt mentioned that the church, together with the Christian Council, were partnering the Institute of Economic Forum to dialogue with the government to find lasting solutions to the winner-takes-all syndrome in the country.
He, however, appealed to the government to avoid partisanship in its appointments and appoint those with the requisite expertise to handle the affairs of the various ministries and departments to solve the economic challenges confronting the citizenry.
“We are facing problems because sometimes political appointments are made and we put square pegs in round holes, creating social problems for the people”, he said.
Spiritual and physical needs
The Chairman of the Project Committee, Mr Thomas Essah, said the facility was in line with the church’s policy to reach out to society both spiritually and physically.
He indicated that measures had been put in place by management to ensure adequate security for occupants.
The immediate past Superintendent Minister of the South Mamprobi Circuit, Very Rev. Mathias Forson, under whose administration the project began, expressed gratitude to God for the facility and added that “it would help the church to become self-sufficient instead of depending on members for all its financial needs”.
