Ghana private sector spent $7.5 million within 10 weeks to build ultra-modern facility to combat Covid-19 pandemic, while the Nigerian counterpart used N32 billion to construct tents and medical supplies for the same purpose.
The 100-bed Ghana Infectious Disease Centre (GIDC) comprising a level three Biomedical laboratory, a 21-bed Intensive Care Unit, a dispensary, a triage unit, waiting areas, nurses’ station, VIP and general wards and a medical gas house, was constructed through the collaboration of civilian and military engineers, planners and architects within three months.
The donors include Bank of Ghana, Association of Bankers GNPC, Fidelity Bank, Ecobank, Ghana National Gas Company, CH Group, Legend and Glass Aluminium Systems, and Tropical Cable and Conductors.
Nigerian banks in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the private sector have focused on sustaining livelihoods impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic through Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID).
CACOVID is a CBN-led private sector initiative that has contributed over N32 billion to fight Covid-19. Access Bank is at the centre of the project, helping to improve the livelihood of people badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
On March 26, 2020, the CBN on behalf of the Bankers’ Committee and in partnership with the private sector led by Aliko Dangote Foundation and Access Bank come together to form the CACOVID.
Industry watchers are concerned about how banks in Ghana built a real hospital, but Nigeria constructed tents that would be blown away or demolished when Covid-19 goes away. There has been rising call by Nigerians for full accountability of the private sector Covid-19 donations. They want to know how procurement was handled and why no tenders were published for procurement.
Ghana Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, who commissioned the facility on Friday, said with the sacrifices, dedication and ingenuity exhibited by Ghanaians, the government had decided to award the 88 district hospitals, six regional hospitals in newly created regions and a psychiatric hospital would be awarded to local contractors.
Speaking to BusinessDay, the private sector leaders say they want an open and publicized bid process for all procurement linked to the fund.
“There is so much opaqueness, no one knows the total amount of money collected and the total spent so far,” one source claimed. “Why should the CBN be leading a private initiative like this anyway?” the source asked rhetorically.
The call for transparency and accountability around the monies donated by private individuals and companies have prompted groups like the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) to demand for donations details from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Since early 2020 when the Coronavirus became a global pandemic, countries around the world have been battling to contain the challenges of keeping people alive and safe, and also preserving livelihoods.
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