Nangodi residents lament delay of agenda 111 hospital project, demand lands back

The Chiefs and People of the Nangodi Traditional area of the Upper East Region, has expressed worry about the delay of the completion of the agenda 111 hospital project in the area.

At a press conference jointly organized by the District Health Committee, Public Relations and Complaint Committee, Traditional and Religious Leaders and the Youth and Women groups on Thursday, the groups indicated that while other beneficiary Districts including Bolgatanga East, Garu, Tempane and the Kassena-Nankana have their projects almost in completion that of the Nabdam District is still at the foundation level.

The Paramount Queen Mother of the Sokoti Traditional area, who is also the Chairperson of the District Health Committee, Pognab Grace Bewong, indicated that they were told that the project awarded in 2021 to a construction firm by the name T.K Waters who delayed the work, has been rewarded by the Government to a different contractor.

She said, while the group commend government for assigning a different contractor for the project, they are appealing to government to as a matter of urgency do whatever it takes to let the District have this noble project completed to help address the health needs of the people in the area.

According to the group, the current hospital in the District does not have the capacity to provide the desired health quality service to the people in the area and as a result patients with complicated cases are referred to the Bolgatanga Region hospital which is very far from the District.

They indicated that, prior to the beginning of the project, the Nabdam traditional area authority gave out 100 acres of their farmlands for the project only to see the project standstill.

She said, the District Health Committee and Public Relations and Complaint Committee have received complaints severally from the Chiefs and people, the youth and women groups in the District, demanding answers from duty bearers why other beneficiary Districts have their projects almost completed while the contractor awarded with the contract in the Nabdam District has not finished even the foundation.

Mr Patrick Yingsingit , a member of the District Health Committee, stated that the farmers who gave out their land for the project had threatened to take their lands back. If not, she urged government to re-award the contracts to two or more contractors to help fast-track the completion of the project.

The District Chief Executive for the area, Mrs. Agnes Anamoo, in a response expressed optimism that the concerns raised by the group would be addressed by the government.

She commended the groups for not using any violent means to voice out their demands and assured of them of positive result.