Hotel chases government for cash after serving as isolation center

The Northern Regional Health Directorate is being chased by operators of a hotel, which is said to have served as an isolation centre, over a bill of GH¢219,000.

This is an accumulation of debt incurred during the quarantine period of some foreign nationals consisting of Guineans and Burkinabe.

Since the effect of the coronavirus pandemic has hit businesses, the hotel is chasing government for its money.

Dr Eleeza John Bertson, the Northern Regional Health Director, made this known while answering a question at a meeting with journalists on Tuesday, May 12.

The question had to do with whether some 29 medical staff asked to self-isolate could have been put under a state mandatory quarantine.

“We were slapped with a bill of over GH¢219,000 by the hotel operators,” he said.

“The people are chasing us left-right-centre and this was after we decided to quarantine medical staff so we’re being careful we don’t create a situation that the region cannot handle.”

Though he is optimistic the bill will be settled by the central government, he is skeptical about the bureaucracy involved that might impede future quarantine efforts.

The Northern Region has so far recorded 19 cases of coronavirus.