The Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) on Monday cut the sod for work to start on a mortuary for the Tema General Hospital.

The facility, which is expected to be completed in eight months, would have two cells of cold rooms with a capacity of 1,000 bodies each, offices, changing rooms, washing rooms, embalming area, Muslim area, pay point and reception.

The current morgue, which is dilapidated, has forced the hospital to store bodies of only patients who die on admission.

Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Local Government and Rural Development Minister who cut the sod, thanked the TMA for heeding to his call to make funding available for the construction of the new Mortuary after touring the hospital some time ago.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said the essence of decentralization was to solve such local problems through the local authorities.

He said his outfit would make available to the TMA GH¢100,000 to cater for fluctuations in the contract sum as well as other finishings.

The Minister, who has also adopted the accident ward of the TGH, donated to the ward a 46-inch flat screen television.

Mr Kempes Ofosuware, TMA Chief Executive, said the Assembly heeded to the Minister’s appeal to build a new Mortuary for the Hospital, as part of its responsibilities to solve some of the many problems facing the TGH.

Dr Charity Sarpong, Medical Superintendent of the TGH, thanked the Minister and the TMA as well as other stakeholders for the initiative, and called on others to emulate the gesture.**