The newly constructed Catholic Orthopedic Training Centre (OTC) in Walewale, dedicated to treating individuals with physical disabilities, remains shuttered due to a delay in clearing donated machinery, tools, and materials at the Tema Port.
The OTC at Walewale, an extension of the facility in Nsawam near Accra, received a donation of essential equipment from a Swiss Family Foundation. The container arrived at the Tema Port on December 31, 2023, but has yet to be cleared.
Sister Elizabeth Newman, Managing Director of OTC Nsawam, expressed disappointment, stating, “We had applied for exemption from taxes for the items in the container before it arrived at the port.”
She appealed to leaders and politicians from the north to expedite the clearance process to enable the facility to commence operations promptly.
The OTC in Walewale aims to provide specialized care for people with physical disabilities, producing prosthetic limbs, shoes, leg braces, and other aids.
Sister Newman emphasized the urgency, saying, “We want to bring relief to persons with physical disabilities in the north.”
Father Cyprian Kuupol, Provincial Superior of Divine Word Ministries, Ghana – Liberia Province, noted the significance of establishing the OTC in Walewale, alleviating the financial burden on patients who would otherwise need to travel to Nsawam for treatment.
Mr. Arimiyaw Somo Lucky Basintale, West Mamprusi Municipal Chief Executive, pledged to communicate the situation to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, emphasizing intervention.
The inauguration ceremony also coincided with the Feast Day of Saint Arnold Janssen, the Founder of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD).
It marked the 10th anniversary of the passing of Brother Tarcisius Cristophorus de Ruyter, SVD, the Founder of OTC at Nsawam.