Mr Felix Aboagye Nyarko, Peace Corps Programme Director, has commended the chiefs and people of Sampa in the Jaman District of Brong-Ahafo Region for their collective efforts in constructing a surgical ward for a new government hospital.

He made the commendation at a durbar of chiefs to hand over the 150.8 million cedis ward funded by Peace Corps at Sampa, on Friday.

The Sampa project, he said was the biggest of all projects so far sponsored by the Peace Corps, under its programme of assisting community-initiated projects in Ghana, and praised the people for their hard work, dedication and commitment.

Dr Emmanuel Achab, Jaman District Director of Health Services advised the people to rally behind the staff of the hospital to enable them deliver quality health services.

The community must also liaise with the staff of the hospital to ensure the maintenance of the building.

Mr Ibrahim Issah, Acting Brong-Ahafo Regional Hospital Administrator said the hospital would soon be provided with an ambulance and a four-wheeled vehicle to enhance is operation.

He deplored the high rate of referral cases from district hospitals to the regional level and said the secretariat would do everything to equip district hospitals with such facilities to save lives.

Mr Pascal Essie, Chairman of Sampa Town Council said the community's decision to construct the ward formed part of their contribution to assist the government to ease congestion at the old hospital.

He said after putting up a mortuary at the site earmarked for the construction of the new hospital about two years ago, the people decided to undertake the surgical ward project.

Having reached a stage where our financial capacity could not help continue, we decided to seek the help from the Peace Corps.

Mr Essie said Mrs Mercy Davis Obo, former Peace Corps personnel in-charge of primary processing of cashew, obviously convinced about the self-help initiative of the community volunteered assistance.

The Peace Corps contributed 75 percent for the total cost of the project while the community contributed 25 percent, in addition to communal labour.

Mrs Obo's stay in Ghana, however, was short, but before she left she had detailed Ms. Irene Drennan, another Peace Corps volunteer and Science Tutor at the Sampa Secondary School to take over the supervision of the project on behalf of Peace Corps Administration in Ghana.

Mr Essie said even though the project was still on-going, it had become necessary to do the handing over ceremony as Ms Drennan was expected to leave by next week.

He said the Peace Corps Administration had released the necessary materials and money for the continuation of the project.

In an address Ms Drennan appealed to the Ministry of Health to fulfil its part of the agreement, being the provision of furniture for the ward and nurses' waiting room for the speedy completion of the project, which was started in August this year.

Nana Yeboah Sanagya, Akwamuhene, expressed the gratitude of people of Sampa to the County Director of Peace Corps for the assistance.

Nana Kofi Agyaro, Krontihene of Sampa who presided urged the health administration to continue to work hard to sustain the local hospital.

Ms Hanna Mensah, Acting Sampa Hospital Administrator ,who received the keys to the ward, thanked Ms Drennan and Mrs Davis Obo for their role in making the dream of the community a reality.