Akufo-Addo's Agenda 111 project only an afterthought

Former President John Dramani Mahama has described government's ambitious agenda 111 hospital projects as an "afterthought."

Mr. Mahama maintains the hospital projects will not be completed before the NPP leaves office.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday [August 17, 2021] cut sod for the commencement of work on 88 of the 111 hospital projects.

He said the hospitals under the government's ambitious Agenda 111 projects will be completed within 18 months.

The president also disclosed that each of the hospitals will cost $16.88 million.

President Akufo-Addo also explained that $12.88 million will be for the construction of the hospitals and $4 million for medical equipment.

“So far sites have been identified for 88 of the 111 hospitals, and after cutting the sod, work on the other 87 sites will also commence today [Tuesday].”

“The acquisition of the remaining 13 sites will be completed shortly for work to begin. Each hospital is being constructed at a cost of $16.88 million, i.e. $12.88 million for construction and $4 million for medical equipment, and all the hospitals are to be completed in 18 months and works will begin on the regional and other hospitals in the latter part of the year.”

He thus expressed his optimism that the project will become a game-changer in the country's health sector.

However, speaking on GBC Radio in the Upper East as part of his thank-you tour of the Region, Mr. Mahama said the government needed to show something for all the borrowings, a reason why it has embarked on this project.

According to him, there is no transparency about the construction of the projects.

“It is only an afterthought that suddenly they realized that they must be doing some infrastructure and Agenda 111 has been conjured with no transparency as to how the money for the projects are going to be procured.”

“Is it going to lead to more borrowing when we already have such a high level [of debt],” he questioned further.

Mr. Mahama, who is on a nationwide tour, also noted that the government was yet to show commitment to existing projects like the Bolga Central Hospital.

“Government should avert its mind and try to finish some of those projects including some of those that they themselves have initiated.”

—citinews