- financed and built by Jospong Group of Companies (JGC)
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inaugurated a 300-bed accommodation facility for young soldiers at the 37 Military Hospital.
The facility, christened the Joseph Siaw Agyepong Young Soldiers’ Block, was financed and built by Jospong Group of Companies (JGC).
President Akufo-Addo reiterated government’s commitment to providing decent accommodation facilities for the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).
For that reason, he stated that the edifice built at 37 Military Hospital is named the Joseph Siaw Agyepong Young Soldiers’ Block – after the Executive Chairman and Founder of the Jospong Group of Companies, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong.
According to the president, the project forms part of the Phase 1 and 2 Barracks Regeneration and Military Housing Projects of 2020 and 2021 respectively, both of which are aimed at providing decent accommodation for the military.
The Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, said one of the major challenges facing the GAF is accommodation, and therefore appealed for assistance.
“Mr. President, since you assumed office, you have paid much attention to our accommodation issues. You started with cutting the sod in May 2017for the Barrack Regeneration Project, which saw the construction of 112 units of 2-bedroom flats at Daula Barracks and 6 Garrison in Tamale,” he stated.
“Furthermore, you initiated the Military Housing Project that saw a monumental increase in the accommodation stock of the Ghana Armed Forces,” said Mr. Nitiwul.
In a brief remark, the Executive Chairman of JGC, Dr. Siaw Agyepong, expressed his profound gratitude to the Military High Command for the opportunity to support a worthy cause.
He indicated that his group sees the gesture as an opportunity to contribute their quota through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to an institution as important as the Ghana Army.
“The military’s contribution to the socio-economic development of Ghana cannot be overemphasised, and so it is for any institution that is linked to their health and wellbeing.
“This is why any contribution to support the smooth running of their major health facility – 37 Military Hospital – will not be overlooked by the Jospong Group of Companies,” he averred.
The JGC, in a bid to give back to society he explained, supports institutions whose mission resonates with the corporate mission of JGC, as the company’s corporate mission is contributing to saving lives in the society.
According to Dr Siaw Agyepong, his outfit has enjoyed a good collaboration with the Armed Forces, as their drivers and Ecozoil staff members have benefitted from the rich expertise of GAF’s various outlets.
“This is indeed my personal admiration for the military, for their level of discipline, professionalism and excellence,” he underscored.
“I am inspired by what I am witnessing here today, and this has further reinforced the company’s resolve to continue contributing our widow’s might to the 37 Military Hospital in other areas of interest which they wish to embark on,” Dr. Siaw Agyepong assured.
Earlier, in a welcome address, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Ghana Armed Forces, Vice Admiral Seth Amoama, noted that 37 Military Hospital – being the biggest in the Ghana Armed Forces – is confronted with dire accommodation challenges for soldiers within the hospital.
Though he is elated about the increasing number of young soldiers and its positive impact on the services, he said providing accommodation for them is a huge challenge.
In view of the above, in 2016 he recounted that the then Commander, Brigadier General Ralph Ametepi – with approval from General Headquarters, initiated the construction of a 300-capacity young soldiers’ accommodation project from internally generated funds, but bemoaned that the project stalled at 50% in 2018.
According to him, it was against this backdrop that the Chief of Defence Staff in 2021 appealed to the Jospong Group of Companies for assistance to see the project completed through its corporate social responsibility.
