By Juliet Aguiar DUGBARTEY
Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) has handed over a newly constructed two-bedroom semi-detached apartment to the Akyem Breman CHPS compound in the Upper West Akyem District of the Eastern Region.
Valued at GH¢700,000, the facility is expected to ease the long-standing accommodation challenges faced by nurses stationed in the area, ultimately enhancing healthcare delivery. Until the intervention, nurses posted to Akyem Breman had to commute daily from Asamankese to Breman, an arrangement that often-hampered response times and service efficiency.
At a brief ceremony, Managing Director of GREL, Thierry Cauchy said the initiative forms part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to promote development in its operational areas. “Our ability to thrive as a business is closely tied to the wellbeing of our host communities. We believe that peaceful coexistence and collaboration lead to sustainable development,” he stated.
He disclosed that the request for the accommodation was made nearly three years ago by the community’s chief, Barima Kordie Akese II, who appealed for support to alleviate the transportation burden on health workers.
Mr. Cauchy expressed optimism that the new quarters would significantly boost healthcare outcomes in the community. He also reaffirmed GREL’s broader commitment to responsible agriculture, environmental sustainability, and social investment, particularly in the more than 90 communities in which it operates across the Western, Central, and Eastern Regions. He urged the community to maintain the facility and pledged GREL’s continued support through partnerships built on trust, respect, and shared objectives.
Chairman of the Association of Chiefs on Whose Land GREL Operates (ACLANGO) and Paramount Chief of the Lower Dixcove Traditional Area, Nana Kwesi Agyeman IX, praised GREL for its consistent commitment to community development and described the facility as a crucial step toward addressing primary healthcare challenges in the area. He encouraged the residents to adopt a culture of maintenance, noting that the sustainability of such support would depend on how well the facility is preserved.
Nana Adu Darko III, Paramount Chief of Asamankese in an address delivered for him also commended GREL for the infrastructure and urged the community to cherish it. “Like Oliver Twist, we ask for more,” he added, cautioning against taking such interventions for granted.
Barima Kordie Akese II, who initiated the request for the project, expressed satisfaction and gratitude. He thanked GREL for heeding to the community’s call and turning their vision into reality, pledging continued collaboration to ensure proper upkeep of the facility.
The District Chief Executive, Rebecca Chissah, in an address read for her expressed appreciation to GREL and emphasized the need for responsible stewardship.
The District Director of Health, Dr. Adam Ziblim Kasule, described the project as a major milestone. “The provision of this nurses’ quarters is a significant step toward improving healthcare delivery in this area. It will ensure that our health workers are comfortably accommodated, motivated, and better positioned to serve the community effectively,” he said.
GREL’s delegation to the event was led by Mr. Thierry Cauchy (MD), Mr. Perry Acheampong (Corporate Affairs Manager), Mr. Peter Chibueze Kofi Atuora (Community Relations Manager and External Communications), Mr. Darlington Aganu (Division 13 Manager) as well as Mr. John Boafo, a Technical Contractor working at Division 13 of GREL plantations.
